v"Cn  t  a  n  n  a  I?  n 

w  1--/ A.  &  kJ  A  w 


UC-NRLF 


GIFT  OF 
K.D  .LINGUIST 


EDUCATION  DtPT, 


Sf^^ 


\r  X- 


^^ 


STANDARD 
CLASSIC  READER 

BOOK   TWO 

For  Sixth  Grade 


Part      I     Literature 

Part    II     Dramatic  Reading 

Part  III     Memory  Gems 


EDUCATIONAL   PUBLISHING   COMPANY 

BOSTON 
New  York  Chicago  San  Francisco 


V  f    « 


Gift 

R.D  .LII^QUiST 

EDUCATION  DEFT, 


Copyright,  191 2 
?*v 

EDUCATIONAL  PUBLISHING   COMPANY 


FOREWORD 

The  Standard  Classic  Reader,  Book  Two,  is  the  second  of  a  series  of 
four  Classic  Readers  carefully  compiled,  edited  and  annotated,  for  use 
in  the  Grammar  or  upper  grades  of  the  Common  Schools. 

Like  its  predecessor.  Book  One,  it  is  arranged  in  parts,  grouping  the 
selections  under  the  heads  of  Literature,  Dramatic  Readings  and 
Memory  Gems. 

The  selections  of  Book  Two  are  especially  adapted  for  Sixth  Year 
pupils.  They  provide  appropriate  classical  selections  from  among  a 
wide  range  of  titles  and  give  to  the  pupils  a  pleasant  acquaintance  with 
our  best  American  and  English  writers. 

The  selections  chosen  are  accompanied  by  succinct  yet  complete 
biographical  sketches  of  the  authors,  and  notes  upon  each  classic,  which 
are  discriminating  and  helpful,  but  not  technical. 

Books  Three  and  Four  will  present  classics  of  an  advanced  type  and 
will  fully  justify  their  issue  by  meeting  satisfactorily  the  need  for  classics, 
prose  and  poetical,  in  the  seventh  and  eighth  grades  of  the  Common 
Schools. 


575771 


CONTENTS 

Part  I 

The  King  of  the  Golden  River.  .John  Ruskin    7 

Jackanapes .Juliana  H.  Ewing  . .  37 

The  Voice  of  Spring   Mary  Howitt    72 

Under  the  Greenwood  Tree    Shakespeare    73 

Abou  Ben  Adhem    Leigh  Hunt 74 

The  Song  of  Hiawatha —  Henry  W.  Longfellow  75 

Charge  of  the  Light  Brigade Alfred  Tennyson 245 

The  Blue  and  the  Gray   Francis  M.  Finch   . .  248 

The  Death  of  the  Flowers W.  C.  Bryant 251 

America Samuel  F.  Smith   . . .  '254 

To  a  Skylark    Percy  B.  Shelley    . . .  256 

The  Brook Alfred  Tennyson 261 

The  Old  Oaken  Bucket Samuel  Woodworth  . .  263 

Story  of  David  and  Jonathan    ..Myles  Endicott 265 

The  Siege  of  Troy Mara  L,  Pratt 283 

The  Adventures  of  Ulysses Mara  L.  Pratt 293 

King  Bruce  and  the  Spider   Eliza  Cook 308 

King  Canute W.  M.  Thackeray    . .  311 

Part  II 

Theseus Grace  D.  McCarthy  .  317 

Story  of  Circe Grace  D.  McCarthy  .  327 

The  Miraculous  Pitcher Grace  D.  McCarthy  .  331 

A  Christmas  Carol Lena  Southard 340 

Joan  of  Arc Mary  A .  Laselle 367 

Courtship  of  Miles  Standish , 372 

Part  III 

Memory  Gems 383 

5 


STANDARD  CLASSIC  READER 

Book   Two 

PART  I    LITERATURE 


THE  KING  OF  THE  GOLDEN  RIVER;    OR,  THE 
BLACK   BROTHERS 

JOHN  RUSKIN 

John  Ruskin,  an  English  writer  and  art  critic,  was  bom  in  England  in 
1819.  While  a  student  at  Oxford  University  he  was  the  winner  of  a  prize 
given  for  English  poetry,  and  "The  King  of  the  Golden  River"  was  also 
written  while  he  was  in  college.  Among  his  writings  on  the  subject  of 
art  are  "Modem  Painters,"  "Seven  Lamps  of  Architecture,"  and  "The 
Stones  of  Venice."  He  has  written  many  other  works,  one  of  them, 
"Sesame  and  Lilies,"  being  two  essays  on  books  and  reading,  the  first 
addressed  to  young  men,  the  second  to  young  women. 


Chapter  I 

In  a  secluded  and  mountainous  part  of  Styria  there  was, 
in  old  time,  a  valley  of  "^he  most  surprising  and  luxuriant 
fertility.  It  was  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  steep  and  rocky 
mountains,  rising  into  peaks,  which  were  always  covered 
5  with  snow,  and  from  which  a  number  of  torrents  descended 
in  constant  cataracts.  One  of  these  fell  westward  over 
the  face  of  a  crag  so  high  that  when  the  sun  had  set  to  every- 
thing else,  and  all  below  was  darkness,  his  beams  still  shone 
full  upon  this  waterfall,  so  that  it  looked  like  a  shower  of 
10  gold.    It  was,  therefore,  called  by  the  people  of  the  neighbor- 

7 


8  :i^TANDAfiDr  CLASSIC  READER 

hood  the  Golden  River.  It  was  strange  that  none  of  these 
streams  fell  into  the  valley  itself.  They  all  descended  on  the 
other  side  of  the  mountains,  and  wound  away  through  broad 
plains  and  by  populous  cities.  But  the  c'ouds  were  drawn 
5  so  constantly  to  the  snowy  hills  that  in  time  of  drought  and 
heat  when  all  the  country  round  was  burnt  up,  there  was  still 
rain  in  the  little  valley;  and  its  crops  were  so  heavy,  and  its 
hay  so  high,  and  its  apples  so  red,  and  its  grapes  so  blue, 
and  its  wine  so  rich,  and  its  honey  so  sweet,  that  it  was  a 

lo  marvel  to  everyone  who  beheld  it,  and  was  commonly  called 
the  Treasure  Valley. 

The  whole  of  this  little  valley  belonged  to  three  brothers 
called  Schwartz,  Hans,  and  Gluck.  Schwartz  and  Hans,  the 
two  elder  brothers,  were  very  ugly  men,  with  overhanging 

15  eyebrows  and  small  dull  eyes,  which  were  always  half  shut, 
so  that  you  couldn't  see  into  them^  and  always  fancied  that 
they  saw  very  far  into  you.  They  lived  by  farming  the 
Treasure  Valley,  and  very  good  farmers  they  were. 

They  killed  everything  that  did  not  pay  for  its  eating. 

20  They  shot  the  blackbirds  because  they  pecked  the  fruit, 
and  killed  the  hedgehogs  lest  they  should  suck  the  cows; 
they  poisoned  the  crickets  for  eating  the  crumbs  in  the 
kitchen,  and  smothered  the  cicadas,  which  used  to  sing  all 
summer   in   the   lime   trees.     They   worked    their   servants 

25  without  any  wages  till  they  would  not  work  any  more,  and 

•  then  quarrelled  with  them,  and  turned  them  out-of-doors 

without  paying  them.     It  would  have  been  very  odd  if  with 

such  a  farm  and  such  a  system  of  farming  they  hadn't  got 

very  rich;  and  very  rich  they  did  get.     They  generally  con- 

30  trived  to  keep  their  own  com  by  them  until  it  was  very  dear, 
and  then  sell  it  for  twice  its  value;  they  had  heaps  of  gold 
lying  about  on  their  floors,  yet  it  was  never  known  that  they 
had  given  so  much  as  a  penny  or  a  crust  in  charity;  they 
never  went  to  mass;   grumbled  perpetually  at  paying  tithes; 

35  and  were,  in  a  word,  of  so  cruel  and  grinding  a  temper  as  to 


THE   KING   OF   THE   GOLDEN   RIVER  9 

receive  from  all  those  with  whom  they  had  any  dealings  the 
nickname  of  the  "Black  Brothers." 

The  youngest  brother,  Gluck,  was  as  completely  opposed, 
in  both  appearance  and  character,  to  his  seniors  as  could  pos- 
5  sibly  be  imagined  or  desired.  He  was  not  above  twelve 
years  old,  fair,  blue-eyed,  and  kind  in  temper  to  every  living 
thing.  He  did  not,  of  course,  agree  particularly  well  with 
his  brothers;  or,  rather,  they  did  not  agree  with  him.  He 
was  usually  appointed  to  the  honorable  office   of   turnspit 

10  —  when  there  was  anything  to  roast,  which  was  not  often; 
for,  to  do  the  brothers  justice,  they  were  hardly  less  sparing 
upon  themselves  than  upon  other  people.  At  other  times  he 
used  to  clean  the  shoes,  floors,  and  sometimes  the  plates  — 
occasionally  getting  what  was  left  upon  them  by  way  of 

15  encouragement,  and  a  wholesome  quantity  of  dry  blows  by 
way  of  education. 

Things  went  on  in  this  manner  for  a  long  time.  At  last 
came  a  very  wet  summer,  and  everything  went  wrong  in  the 
country  around.     The  hay  had  hardly  been  got  in  when  the 

20  haystacks  were  floated  bodily  down  to  the  sea  by  an  inunda- 
tion; the  vines  were  cut  to  pieces  by  the  hail;  the  com 
was  all  killed  by  a  black  blight ;  only  in  the  Treasure  Valley, 
as  usual,  all  was  safe.  As  it  had  rain  when  there  was  rain 
nowhere  else,  so  it  had  sun  when  there  was  sun  nowhere 

25  else.  Everybody  came  to  buy  com  at  the  farm,  and  went 
away  pouring  maledictions  on  the  Black  Brothers.  They 
asked  what  they  liked  and  got  it,  except  from  the  poor  people, 
who  could  only  beg,  and  several  of  whom  were  starved 
at  their  very  door  without  the  slightest  regard   or  notice. 

30  It  was  drawing  towards  winter,  and  very  cold  weather, 
when  one  day  the  two  elder  brothers  had  gone  out,  with  their 
usu.al  waming  to  little  Gluck,  who  was  left  to  mind  the 
roast,  that  he  was  to  let  nobody  in  and  give  nothing  out. 
Gluck  sat  down  quite  close  to  the  fire,  for  it  was  raining  very 

35  hard,  and  the  kitchen  walls  were  by  no  means  dry  or  com- 


lo  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

fortable-looking.  He  turned  and  turned,  and  the  roast  got 
nice  and  brown.  ''What  a  pity,"  thought  Gluck,  "my 
brothers  never  ask  anybody  to  dinner!  I'm  sure  when 
they've  got  such  a  nice  piece  of  mutton  as  this,  and  nobody 
5  else  has  got  so  much  as  a  dry  piece  of  bread,  it  would  do 
tJieir  hearts  good  to  have  somebody  to  eat  it  with  them." 

Just  as  he  spoke  there  came  a  double  knock  at  the  house 
door,  yet  heavy  and  dull,  as  though  the  knocker  had  been 
tied  up  —  more  like  a  puff  than  a  knock. 

lo  ''It  must  be  the  wind,"  said  Gluck;  "nobody  else  would 
venture  to  knock  double  knocks  at  our  door." 

No,  it  wasn't  the  wind;  there  it  came  again  very  hard, 
and  what  was  particularly  astounding,  the  knocker  seemed 
to  be  in  a  hurry,  and  not  to  be  in  the  least  afraid  of  the  con- 

15  sequences.  Gluck  went  to  the  window,  opened  it,  and  put 
his  head  out  to  see  who  it  was. 

It  was  the  most  extraordinary  looking  gentleman  he  had 
ever  seen  in  his  life.  He  had  a  very  large  nose,  slightly 
brass-colored;  his  cheeks  were  very  round  and  very  red,  and 

20  might  have  warranted  a  supposition  that  he  had  been  blow- 
ing a  refractory  fire  for  the  last  eight-and-forty  hours;  his 
eyes  twinkled  merrily  through  long  silky  eyelashes,  his  mus- 
taches curled  twice  round  like  a  corkscrew  on  each  side  of 
his  mouth,  and  his  hair,  of  a  curious  mixed  pepper-and-salt 

25  color,  descended  far  over  his  shoulders.  He  was  about  four 
feet  six  in  height,  and  wore  a  conical  pointed  cap  of  nearly 
the  same  altitude,  decorated  with  a  black  feather  some 
three  feet  high.  His  doublet  was  prolonged  behind  into 
something   resembling   a   violent   exaggeration   of   what    is 

30  now  termed  a  "swallow  tail,"  but  was  much  obscured  by 
the  swelling  folds  of  an  enormous  black,  glossy-looking 
cloak,  which  must  have  been  very  much  too  long  in  calm 
weather,  as  the  wind,  whistling  round  the  old  house,  carried 
it  clear  out  from  the  wearer's  shoulders  to  about  four  times 

35  his  own  length. 


THE   KING   OF   THE   GOLDEN   RIVER  ii 

Gluck  was  so  perfectly  paralyzed  by  the  singular  appear- 
ance of  his  visitor  that  he  remained  fixed  without  uttering 
a  word,  until  the  old  gentleman,  having  performed  another, 
and  a  more  energetic  concerto  on  the  knocker,  turned  round 
5  to  look  after  his  fly-away  cloak.  In  so  doing  he  caught  sight 
of  Gluck's  little  yellow  head  jammed  in  the  window,  with  its 
mouth  and  eyes  very  wide  open  indeed. 

"Hello!"  said  the  little  gentleman,  "that's  not  the  way 
to  answer  the  door;   I  'm  wet,  let  me  in." 

lo  To  do  the  little  gentleman  justice  he  was  wet.  His  feather 
hung  down  between  his  legs  like  a  beaten  puppy's  tail,  drip- 
ping like  an  umbrella;  and  from  the  ends  of  his  mustaches 
the  water  was  running  into  his  waistcoat  pockets,  and  out 
again  like  a  mill  streani. 

15  "I  beg  pardon,  sir!"  said  Gluck.  "I'm  very  sorry,  but  I 
really  can't." 

"Can't  what?"  said  the  old  gentleman. 
"I  can't  let  you  in,  sir  —  I  can't  indeed;    my  brothers 
would  beat  me  to  death,  sir,  if  I  thought  of  such  a  thing. 

20  What  do  you  want,  sir?" 

"Want?"  said  the  old  gentleman,  petulantly.  "I  want 
fire  and  shelter;  and  there  ^s  your  great  fire  there  blazing, 
crackling,  and  dancing  on  the  walls,  with  nobody  to  feel  it. 
Let  me  in,  I  say;  I  only  want  to  warm  myself." 

25  Gluck  had  had  his  head,  by  this  time,  so  long  out  of  the 
window,  that  he  began  to  feel  that  it  was  really  unpleasantly 
cold,  and  when  he  turned  and  saw  the  beautiful  fire  rustling 
and  roaring  and  throwing  long  bright  tongues  by  the  chim- 
ney, as  if  it  were  licking  its  chops  at  the  savory  smell  of  the 

30  leg  of  mutton,  his  heart  melted  within  him  that  it  should  be 
burning  away  for  nothing.  "He  does  look  very  wet,"  said 
little  Gluck;  "I'll  just  let  him  in  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour." 
Round  he  wxnt  to  the  door  and  opened  it ;  and  as  the  little 
gentleman  walked  in,  there  came  a  gust  of  wind  through  the 

35  house  that  made  the  old  chimneys  totter. 


12  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

"That 's  a  good  boy,"  said  the  little  gentleman.     "Never 
mind  your  brothers.     I  '11  talk  to  them." 

"Pray,  sir,  don't  do  any  such  thing,"  said   Gluck.     "I 
can't  let  you  stay  till  they  come;    they'd   be  the  death  of 
5  me." 

"Dear  me,"  said  the  old  gentleman,  "I'm  very  sorry  to 
hear  that.     How  long  may  I  stay?" 

"Only  till  the  mutton's  done,  sir,"  replied  Gluck,  "and 
it  's  very  brown." 
lo  The  old  gentleman  walked  into  the  kitchen,  and  sat  him- 
self down  on  the  hob,  with  the  top  of  his  cap  accommodated 
up  the  chimney,  for  it  was  a  great  deal  too  high  for  the 
roof. 

"You  '11  soon  dry  there,  sir,"  said  Gluck,  and  sat  down 
15  again  to  turn  the  mutton.  But  the  old  gentleman  did  not 
dry  there,  but  went  on  drip,  drip,  dripping  among  the  cin- 
ders, and  the  fire  fizzed,  and  sputtered,  and  began  to  look 
very  black  and  uncomfortable;  never  was  there  such  a  cloak; 
every  fold  in  it  ran  like  a  gutter. 
20  "I  beg  pardon,  sir,"  said  Gluck,  at  length,  after  watch- 
ing the  water  spreading  in  long  quicksilver-like  streams 
over  the  floor  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour;  "mayn't  I  take 
your  cloak?" 

"No,  thank  you,"  said  the  old  gentleman. 
25      "Your  cap,  sir?" 

"I  am  all  right,  thank  you,"   said   the  old   gentleman, 
rather  gruffly. 

"But  —  sir  —  I'm  very  sorry,"  said   Gluck,  hesitatingly, 
"but  —  really,  sir  —  you're  —  putting  the  fire  out." 
30      "It  '11  take  longer  to  do  the  mutton,  then,"  replied  his 
visitor,  dryly. 

Gluck  was  very  much   puzzled    by  the  behavior  of   his 
guest,  it  was  such  a  strange  mixture  of  coobiess  and  humil- 
ity.   He  turned  away  at  the  string  meditatively  for  another 
35  five  minutes. 


THE   KING   OF   THE   GOLDEN   RIVER  13 

"That  mutton  looks  very  nice,"  said  the  old  gentleman. 
"Can't  you  give  me  a  little  bit?" 

"Impossible,  sir,"  said  Gluck. 

"Tm  very  hungry,"  continued  the  old  gentleman.     "I've 
5  had    nothing    to    eat    yesterday   nor    to-day.     They    surely 
couldn't  miss  a  bit  from  the  knuckle!" 

He  spoke  in  so  very  melancholy  a  tone  that  it  quite  melted 
Gluck's  heart.     "They  promised  me  one  shce  to-day,  sir," 
said  he;   "I  can  give  you  that,  but  not  a  bit  more." 
10      "That 's  a  good  boy,"  said  the  old  gentleman  again. 

Then  Gluck  warmed  a  plate  and  sharpened  a  knife.  "I 
don't  care  if  I  do  get  beaten  for  it,"  thought  he.  Just  as  he 
had  cut  a  large  slice  out  of  the  mutton  there  came  a  tremen- 
dous rap  at  the  door.  The  old  gentleman  jumped  off  the 
15  hob,  as  if  it  had  suddenly  become  inconveniently  warm. 
Gluck  fitted  the  slice  into  the  mutton  again,  with  desperate 
efforts  at  exactitude,  and  ran  to  open  the  door. 

"What  did  you  keep  us  waiting  in  the  rain  for?"  said 

Schwartz,  as  he  walked  in,  throwing  his  umbrella  in  Gluck's 

20  face.     "Ay!    what  for  indeed,  you  little  vagabond?"  said 

Hans,  administering  an  educational  blow  on  the  ear  as  he 

followed  his  brother  into  the  kitchen. 

"Bless  my  soul!"   said   Schwartz,   when  he  opened   the 
door. 
52      "Amen!"  said  the  little  gentleman,  who  had  taken  his  cap 
off,  and  was  standing  in  the  middle  of  the  kitchen,  bowing 
with  the  utmost  possible  velocity. 

"Who  's  that?"  said  Schwartz,  catching  up  a  rolling-pin, 
and  turning  to  Gluck  with  a  fierce  frown. 
30      "I  don't   know,  indeed,  brother,"  said   Gluck,  in  great 
terror. 

"How  did  he  get  in?"  roared  Schwartz. 

"My  dear  brother,"  said  Gluck,  deprecatingly,  "he  was 
so  very  wet!" 
35      The  rolling-pin  was  descending  on  Gluck's  head ;   but,  at 


14  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

the  instant,  the  old  gentleman  interposed  his  conical  cap, 
on  which  it  crashed  with  a  shock  that  shook  the  water  out 
of  it  all  over  the  room.  What  was  very  odd,  the  rolling- 
pin  no  sooner  touched  the  cap  than  it  flew  out  of  Schwartz's 
5  hand,  spinning  like  a  straw  in  a  high  wind,  and  fell  into  the 
comer  at  the  farther  end  of  the  room. 

''Who  are  you,  sir?"  demanded  Schwartz,  turning  upon 
him. 

"What's  your  business?"  snarled  Hans. 
lo      ''I'm  a  poor  old  man,  sir,"  the  little  gentleman  began 
very  modestly,  "and  I  saw  your  fire  through  the  window, 
and  begged  shelter  for  a  quarter  of  an  hour." 

"Have  the  goodness  to  walk  out  again,  then,"  said  Schwartz. 
"  We  've  quite  enough  water  in  our  kitchen,  without  making 
15  it  a  drying-house." 

"It  is  a  cold  day  to  turn  an  old  man  out  in,  sir;  look  at 
my  gray  hairs!"  They  hung  down  to  his  shoulders,  as  I 
told  you  before. 

"Ay!"  said  Hans,   "there  are  enough  of  them  to  keep 
20  you  warm.     Walk!" 

"I'm  very,  very  hungry,  sir;  couldn't  you  spare  me  a 
bit  of  bread  before  I  go?" 

"Bread,    indeed!"    said    Schwartz.     "Do    you    suppose 
we've  nothing  to  do  with  our  bread  but  to  give  it  to  such 
25  red -nosed  fellows  as  you?" 

"Why  don't  you  sell  your  feather?"  said  Hans,  sneer- 
ingly.     "Out  with  you!" 

"A  little  bit,"  said  the  old  gentleman. 

"Be  off!"  said  Schwartz. 
30      ' '  Pray,  gentlemen ! ' ' 

"Off  and  be  hanged!"  cried  Hans,  seizing  him  by  the 

collar.     But  he  had  no  sooner  touched  the  old  gentleman's 

collar  than  away  he  went  after  the  rolling-pin,   spinning 

round  and  round  till  he  fell  in  the  corner  on  top  of  it.     Then 

35  Schwartz  was  very  angry,  and  ran  at  the  old  gentleman  to 


THE   KING  OF   THE   GOLDEN   RIVER  15 

turn  him  out;  but  he  also  had  hardly  touched  him,  when 
away  he  went  after  Hans  and  the  rolling-pin,  and  hit  his 
head  against  the  wall  as  he  tumbled  into  the  corner.  And 
so  there  they  lay,  all  three. 
5  Then  the  old  gentleman  spun  himself  round  with  velocity 
in  the  opposite  direction,  continued  to  spin  until  his  long  cloak 
was  all  wound  neatly  about  him,  clapped  his  cap  on  his  head, 
very  much  on  one  side  (for  it  could  not  stand  upright  without 
going  through  the  ceiling),  gave  an  additional  twist  to  his 

TO  corkscrew  mustaches,  and  replied  with  perfect  coolness: 
"Gentlemen,  I  wish  you  a  very  good  morning.  At  twelve 
o'clock  to-night  I  '11  call  again;  after  such  a  refusal  of  hos- 
pitality as  I  have  just  experienced,  you  will  not  be  surprised 
if  that  visit  is  the  last  I  ever  pay  you." 

15  "If  I  ever  catch  you  here  again,"  muttered  Schwartz, 
coming  half  frightened  out  of  the  comer  —  but  before  he 
could  finish  his  sentence  the  old  gentleman  had  shut  the 
house  door  behind  him  with  a  great  bang;  and  there  drove 
past  the  window  at  the  same  instant  a  wreath  of  ragged 

20  cloud  that  whirled  and  rolled  away  down  the  valley  in  all 
manner  of  shapes,  turning  over  and  over  in  the  air,  and 
melting  away  at  last  in  a  gush  of  rain. 

"A    very    pretty    business,    indeed,    Mr.    Gluckl"    said 
Schwartz.     "Dish  the  mutton,  sir!    If  ever  I  catch  you  at 

25  such  a  trick  again  —  bless  me,  why,  the  mutton's  been 
cut!" 

"You  promised  me  one  slice,  brother,  you  know,"  said 
Gluck. 
"Oh!   and  you  were  cutting  it  hot,  I  suppose,  and  going 

30  to  catch  all  the  gravy.  It  '11  be  long  before  I  promise  you 
such  a  thing  again.  Leave  the  room,  sir,  and  have  the 
kindness  to  wait  in  the  coal  cellar  till  I  call  you!" 

Gluck  left  the  room  melancholy  enough.     The  brothers 
ate  as  much  as  they  could,  locked  the  rest  in  the  cupboard, 

35  and  proceeded  to  get  very  drunk  after  dinner. 


i6  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Such  a  night  as  it  was!  Howling  wind  and  rushing  rain 
without  intermission!  The  brothers  had  just  sense  enough 
left  to  put  up  all  the  shutters  and  double-bar  the  door  before 
they  went  to  bed.  They  usually  slept  in  the  same  room. 
5  As  the  clock  struck  twelve  they  were  both  awakened  by  a 
tremendous  crash.  Their  door  broke  open  with  a  violence 
that  shook  the  house  from  top  to  bottom. 

^'What's  that?"  cried  Schwartz,  starting  up  in  his  bed. 

''Only  I,"  said  the  little  gentleman. 

lo     The  two  brothers  sat  up  on  their  bolsters  and  stared  into 

the  darkness.     The  room  was  full  of  water,   and   by  the 

misty  moonbeam  which  found  its  way  through  a  hole  in  the 

shutter  they  could  see  in  the  midst  of  it  an  immense  foam 

globe,  spinning  round  and  bobbing  up  and  down  like  a  cork, 

15  on  which,  as  on  a  most  luxurious  cushion,  reclined  the  little 

old  gentleman,  cap  and  all.     There  was  plenty  of  room  for 

it  now,  for  the  roof  vfas  off. 

"Sorry  to  incommode  you,"  said  their  visitor,  ironically. 
"I'm    afraid  your  beds    are  dampish;  perhaps   you    had 
20  better  go  to  your  brother's  room;  I've  left  the  ceiling  on 
there." 

They  required   no   second   admonition,   but   rushed   into 
Gluck's  room,  wet  through,  and  in  an  agony  of  terror. 

"You  '11  find  my  card  on  the  kitchen  table,"  the  old  gentle- 
25  man  called  after  them.     "Remember,  the  last  visit!" 

"Pray  Heaven  it  may!"  said  Schwartz,  shuddering.     And 
the  foam  globe  disappeared. 

Dawn  came  at  last,  and  the  two  brothers  looked  out  of 
Gluck's  little  window  in  the  morning.  The  Treasure  Valley 
30  was  one  mass  of  ruin  and  desolation.  The  inundation  had 
swept  away  trees,  crops,  and  cattle,  and  left  in  their  stead  a 
waste  of  red  sand  and  gray  mud.  The  two  brothers  crept 
shivering  and  horror-stricken  into  the  kitchen.  The  water 
had  gutted  the  whole  first  floor;  com,  money,  almost  every 
35  movable  thing  had  been  swept  away,  and  there  was  left 


THE   KING  OF  THE   GOLDEN   RIVER 


17 


only  a  small  white  card  on  the  kitchen  table.     On  it,  in 
large,  breezy,  long-legged  letters,  were  engraved  the  words: 


Chapter  II 


Southwest  Wind,  Esquire,  was  as  good  as  his  word.  After 
the  momentous  visit  above  related,  he  entered  the  Treasure 
5  Valley  no  more;  and  what  was  worse,  he  had  so  much  in- 
fluence with  his  relations,  the  West  Winds  in  general,  and 
used  it  so  effectually,  that  they  all  adopted  a  similar  line  of 
conduct.  So  no  rain  fell  in  the  valley  from  one  year's  end  to 
another.     Though  everything  remained  green  and  flourish- 

10  ing  in  the  plains  below,  the  inheritance  of  the  three  brothers 
was  a  desert.  What  had  once  been  the  richest  soil  in  the 
kingdom,  became  a  shifting  heap  of  red  sand;  and  the 
brothers,  unable  longer  to  contend  with  the  adverse  skies, 
abandoned  their  valueless  patrimony  in  despair  to  seek  some 

15  means  of  gaining  a  livelihood  among  the  cities  and  people 
of  the  plains.  All  their  money  was  gone,  and  they  had  noth- 
ing left  but  some  curious  old-fashioned  pieces  of  gold  plate, 
the  last  remnants  of  their  ill-gotten  wealth. 

''Suppose  we  turn  goldsmiths?"  said  Schwartz  to  Hans, 


i8  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

as  they  entered  the  large  city.  "It  is  a  good  knave's  trade; 
we  can  put  a  great  deal  of  copper  into  the  gold  without  any 
one's   finding   it   out." 

The  thought  was  agreed  to  be  a  very  good  one;  they  hired 
5  a  furnace,  and  turned  goldsmiths.  But  two  slight  circum- 
stances affected  their  trade:  the  first,  that  people  did  not  ap- 
prove of  the  coppered  gold;  the  second,  that  the  two  elder 
brothers,  whenever  they  sold  anything,  used  to  leave  little 
Gluck  to  mind  the  furnace,  and  go  and  drink  out  the  money 

ro  in  the  ale-house  next  door.  So  they  melted  all  their  gold 
without  niaking  money  enough  to  buy  more,  and  were 
at  last  reduced  to  one  large  drinking-mug  which  an  uncle  of 
his  had  given  to  little  Gluck,  and  which  he  was  fond  of  and 
would  not  have  parted  with  for  the  world,  though  he  never 

15  drank  anything  out  of  it  but  milk  and  water.  The  mug 
was  a  very  old  mug  to  look  at.  The  handle  was  formed  of 
two  wreaths  of  flowing  golden  hair,  so  finely  spun  that  it 
looked  more  like  silk  than  metal,  and  these  wreaths  descended 
into  and  mixed  with,  a  beard  of  whiskers  of  the  same  exquisite 

20  workmanship,  which  surrounded  and  decorated  a  very  fierce 
little  face  of  the  reddest  gold  imaginable,  right  in  the  front 
of  the  mug,  with  a  pair  of  eyes  in  it  which  seemed  to  command 
its  whole  circumference.  It  was  impossible  to  drink  out  of 
the  mug  without  being  subjected  to  an  intense  gaze  out  of  the 

25  side  of  these  eyes;  and  Schwartz  positively  averred  that  once, 
after  emptying  it,  full  of  Rhenish,  seventeen  times,  he  had 
seen  them  wink!  When  it  came  to  the  mug's  turn  to  be  made 
into  spoons  it  half  broke  poor  little  Gluck's  heart;  but  the 
brothers  only  laughed  at  him,  tossed  the  mug  into  the  melting 

?o  pot,  and  staggered  out  to  the  ale-house,  leaving  him,  as  usual, 
to  pour  the  gold  into  bars  when  it  was  ready. 

When  they  were  gone,  Gluck  took  a  farewell  look  at  his 
old  friend  in  the  melting  pot.  The  flowing  hair  was  all 
gone;   nothing  remained  but  the  red  nose  and  the  sparkling 

35  eyes,  which  looked   more  malicious  than  ever.     "And   no 


THE   KING   OF   THE   GOLDEN   RIVER  19 

wonder,"  thought  Gluck,  "after  being  treated  in  that  way." 
He  sauntered  disconsolately  to  the  window  and  sat  himself 
down  to  catch  the  fresh  evening  air  and  escape  the  hot  breath 
of  the  furnace.  Now  this  window  commanded  a  direct 
5  view  of  the  range  of  mountains  which,  as  I  told  you  before, 
overhung  the  Treasure  Valley,  and  more  especially  of  the 
peak  from  which  fell  the  Golden  River.  It  was  just  at  the 
close  of  the  day,  and  when  Gluck  sat  down  at  the  window  he 
saw  the  rocks  of  the  mountain  tops  all  crimson  and  purple 

10  with  the  sunset,  and  there  were  bright  tongues  of  fiery  cloud 
burning  and  quivering  about  them;  and  the  river,  brighter 
than  all,  fell  in  a  waving  column  of  pure  gold  from  precipice 
to  precipice,  with  the  double  arch  of  a  broad  purple  rainbow 
stretched  across  it,  flushing  and  fading  alternately  in  the 

15  wreaths  of  spray. 

*'Ah!"  said  Gluck,  aloud,  after  he  had  looked  at  it  for  a 
while,  ''if  that  river  were  really  all  gold,  what  a  nice  thing 
it  would  be!" 

''No,  it  wouldn't,  Gluck,"  said    a   clear,  metallic  voice 

20  close  at  his  ear. 

"Bless  me!  what's  that?"  exclaimed  Gluck,  jumping  up. 
There  was  nobody  there.  He  looked  round  the  room  and 
under  the  table  and  a  great  many  times  behind  him,  but 
there  was  certainly  nobody  there,  and  he  sat  down  again  at 

25  the  window.     This  time  he  didn't  speak,  but  he  couldn't 

help  thinking  again  that  it  would  be  very  convenient  if  the 

river  were  really  all  gold. 

"Not  at  all,  my  boy,"  said  the  voice,  louder  than  before. 

"Bless   me!"   said    Gluck   again,    "what   is  that?"     He 

30  looked  again  into  all  the  corners  and  cupboards,  and  then 
began  turning  round  and  round  as  fast  as  he  could  in  the 
middle  of  the  room,  thinking  that  there  was  somebody  be- 
hind him,  when  the  same  voice  struck  again  on  his  ear.  It 
was  singing  now,  very  merrily,  "Lala-lira-la";    no  words, 

35  only  a  soft,  running,  effervescent  melody,  something  like 


20  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

that  of  a  kettle  on  the  boil.  Gluck  looked  out  of  the  win- 
dow. No,  it  was  certainly  in  the  house,  l/pstairs  and 
downstairs.  No,  it  was  certainly  in  that  very  room,  coming 
in  quicker  time  and  clearer  notes  every  moment.  "Lala- 
5  lira-la."  All  at  once  it  struck  Gluck  that  it  sounded  nearer 
the  furnace.  He  ran  to  the  opening,  and  looked  in;  yes,  he 
saw  right  —  it  seemed  to  be  coming,  not  only  out  of  the  fur- 
nace but  out  of  the  pot.  He  uncovered  it  and  ran  back  in 
a  great  fright,  for  the  pot  was  certainly  singing!  He  stood 
lo  in  the  farthest  comer  of  the  room  with  his  hands  up  and  his 
mouth  open  for  a  minute  or  two,  when  the  singing  stopped 
and  the  voice  became  clear  and  pronunciative. 

''Hollo!"  said  the  voice. 

Gluck  made  np  answer. 
15      ''Hollo,  Gluck,  my  boy!"  said  the  pot  again. 

Gluck  summoned  all  his  energies,  walked  straight  up  to 
the  crucible,  drew  it  out  of  the  furnace,  and  looked  in.  The 
gold  was  all  melted,  and  its  surface  was  as  smooth  and  pol- 
ished as  a  river;  but  instead  of  reflecting  little  Gluck's 
20  head  as  he  looked  in,  he  saw  meeting  his  glance  from  be- 
neath the  gold  the  red  nose  and  sharp  eyes  of  his  old  friend 
of  the  mug,  a  thousand  times  redder  and  sharper  than  ever 
he  had  seen  them  in  his  life. 

"Come,  Gluck,  my  boy,"  said  the  voice  out  of  the  pot 
25  again,  "I'm  all  right;    pour  me  out!" 

But  Gluck  was  too  much  astonished  to  do  anything  of  the 
kind. 

"Pour  me  out,  I  say!"  said  the  voice,  rather  grufl^y. 

Still  Gluck  couldn't  move. 
30     ^^Will  you  pour  me  out?"  said  the  voice,  passionately. 
"I'm  too  hot." 

By  a  violent  effort,  Gluck  recovered  the  use  of  his  limbs, 

took  hold  of  the  crucible  and  sloped  it,  so  as  to  pour  out  the 

gold.     But  instead  of  a  liquid  stream  there  came  out  first 

35  a  pair  of  little  yellow  legs,  then  some  coat-tails,  then  a  pair 


THE   KING   OF  THE   GOLDEN   RIVER  21 

of  arms  stuck  akimbo,  and  finally  the  well-known  head  of 
his  friend  the  mug;  all  which  articles,  uniting  as  they  rolled 
out,  stood  up  energetically  on  the  floor  in  the  shape  of  a 
little  golden  dwarf  about  a  foot  and  a  half  high. 
5  ^'That 's  right!"  said  the  dwarf,  stretching  out  first  his 
legs  and  then  his  arms,  and  then  shaking  his  head  up  and 
down,  and  as  far  round  as  it  would  go,  for  five  minutes  with- 
out stopping;  apparently  with  the  view  of  ascertaining  if 
he  were  quite  correctly  put  together;  while  Gluck  stood  con- 

10  templating  him  in  speechless  amazement.  He  was  dressed 
in  a  slashed  doublet  of  spun  gold,  so  fine  in  its  texture  that 
the  prismatic  colors  gleamed  over  it  as  if  on  a  surface  of 
mother-of-pearl;  and  over  this  brilliant  doublet  his  hair 
and  beard  fell  full  half-way  to  the  ground  in  waving  curls 

15  so  exquisitely  delicate  that  Gluck  could  hardly  tell  where 
they  ended;  they  seemed  to  melt  into  air.  The  features  of 
the  face,  however,  were  by  no  means  finished  with  the  same 
delicacy;  they  were  rather  coarse,  slightly  inclining  to  cop- 
pery in  complexion,  and  indicative,  in  expression,  of  a  very 

20  pertinacious  and  intractable  disposition  in  their  small  pro- 
prietor. When  the  dwarf  had  finished  his  self-examination, 
he  fixed  his  small  sharp  eyes  full  on  Gluck,  and  stared  at 
him  deliberately  for  a  minute  or  two. 

"No,  it  wouldn't,  Gluck,  my  boy,"  said  the  little  man. 

25  This  was  certainly  rather  an  abrupt  and  unconnected 
mode  of  commencing  conversation.  It  might  indeed  be  sup- 
posed to  refer  to  the  course  of  Gluck's  thoughts,  which  had 
first  produced  the  dwarf's  observation  out  of  the  pot;  but 
whatever  it  referred  to,  Gluck  had  no  inclination  to  dispute 

30  the  dictum. 

"Wouldn't  it,  sir?"  said  Gluck,  very  mildly  and  submis- 
sively indeed. 

"No,"  said  the  dwarf,  conclusively,  "no,  it  wouldn't." 
And  with  that  the  dwarf  pulled  his  cap  hard  over  his  eyes, 

35  and  took  two  turns,  of  three  feet  long,  up  and  down  the 


22  STANDARD  CLASSIC  READER 

room,  lifting  his  legs  very  high  and  setting  them  down  very 
hard.  This  pause  gave  time  for  Gluck  to  collect  his  thoughts 
a  little,  and  seeing  no  great  reason  to  view  his  diminutive 
visitor  with  dread,  and  feeling  his  curiosity  overcome  his 

5  great  amazement,  he  ventured  on  a  question  of  peculiar 
delicacy. 

"Pray,   sir,"   said   Gluck,   rather  hesitatingly,  "were  you 
my  mug?" 

On  which  the  little  man  turned   sharp   round,   walked 

ro  straight  up  to  Gluck,  and  drew  himself  up  to  his  full  height. 

"I,"  said  the  little  man,  "am  the  King  of  the  Golden  River." 

Whereupon  he  turned  about  again  and  took  two  more 

turns,  some  six  feet  long,  in  order  to  allow  time  for  the 

consternation   which   this   announcement    produced    in   his 

15  auditor  to  evaporate.  After  which  he  again  walked  up  to 
Gluck  and  stood  still,  as  if  expecting  some  comment  on  his 
communication. 

Gluck  determined  to  say  something,  at  all  events.     "I 
hope  your  Majesty  is  very  well!"  said  Gluck. 

20  "Listen!"  said  the  little  man,  without  deigning  to  reply 
to  this  polite  inquiry.  "I  am  the  King  of  what  you  mortals 
call  the  Golden  River.  The  shape  you  saw  me  in  was 
owing  to  the  malice  of  a  stronger  king,  from  whose  enchant- 
ments you  have  this  instant  freed  me.     What  I  have  seen  of 

25  you,  and  your  conduct  to  your  wicked  brothers,  renders  me 
willing  to  serve  you;  therefore,  attend  to  what  I  tell  you! 
Whoever  shall  climb  to  the  top  of  the  mountain  from  which 
you  see  the  Golden  River  issue,  and  shall  cast  into  the  stream 
at  its  source  three  drops  of  holy  water,  for  him,  and  for 

30  him  only,  the  river  shall  turn  to  gold.  But  no  one,  failing 
in  his  first,  can  succeed  in  a  second  attempt;  and  if  anyone 
shall  cast  unholy  water  into  the  river,  it  will  overwhelm  him, 
and  he  will  become  a  black  stone." 

So  saying,  the  King  of  the  Golden  River  turned  away  and 

35  deliberately  walked   into  the  hottest  flame  of  the  furnace. 


THE   KING   OF   THE   GOLDEN   RIVER  23 

His  figure  became  red,  white,  transparent,  dazzling  — 
a  blaze  of  intense  light  —  rose,  trembled,  and  disappeared. 
The  King  of  the  Golden  River  had  evaporated. 

"Oh!"  cried  poor  Gluck,  running  to  look  up  the  chimney 
5  after  him.     *' Oh,  dear,  dear,  dear  me!    My  mug!  my  mug! 
my  mug!" 

Chapter  III 

The  King  of  the  Golden  River  had  hardly  made  the  ex- 
traordinary exit  related  in  the  last  chapter,  before  Schwartz 
and  Hans  came  roaring  into  the  house,  very  savagely  drunk. 

10  The  discovery  of  the  total  loss  of  their  last  piece  of  plate  had 
the  effect  of  sobering  them  just  enough  to  enable  them  to 
stand  over  Gluck  beating  him  very  steadily  for  half  an  hour; 
at  the  expiration  of  which  period  they  dropped  into  a  couple 
of  chairs  and  requested  to  know  what  he  had  to  say  for  him- 

15  self.  Gluck  told  them  his  story,  of  which,  of  course,  they 
did  not  believe  a  word.  They  beat  him  again  till  their  arms 
were  tired,  and  then  staggered  to  bed.  In  the  morning, 
however,  the  steadiness  with  which  he  adhered  to  his  story 
obtained  for  him  some  degree  of  credence;    the  immediate 

20  consequence  of  which  was  that  the  two  brothers,  after  wrang- 
ling a  long  time  on  the  knotty  question  which  of  them  should 
try  his  fortune  first,  drew  their  swords  and  began  fight- 
ing. The  noise  of  the  fray  alarmed  the  neigh'bors,  who, 
finding  that  they  could  not  pacify  the  combatants,  sent  for 

25  the  constable. 

Hans,  on  hearing  this,  contrived  to  escape,  and  hid  him- 
self ;  but  Schwartz  was  taken  before  the  magistrate,  fined  for 
breaking  the  peace,  and,  having  drunk  out  his  last  penny 
the  evening  before,  was  thrown  into  prison  till  he  should 

30  pay. 

When  Hans  heard  this  he  was  much  delighted,  and  deter- 
mined to  set  out  immediately  for  the  Golden  River.    How 


24  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

to  get  the  holy  water  was  the  question.  He  went  to  the 
priest,  but  the  priest  could  not  give  holy  water  to  so 
abandoned  a  creature.  So  Hans  went  to  vespers  in  the 
evening  for  the  first  time  in  his  life,  and,  under  pretense 
5  of  crossing  himself,  stole  a  cupful  and  returned  home  in 
triumph.      ♦ 

Next  morning  he  got  up  before  the  sun  rose,  put  the  holy 
water  into  a  strong  flask,  and  two  bottles  of  wine  and  some 
meat  in  a  basket,  slung  them  over  his  back,  took  his  alpine 

lo  staff  in  his  hand,  and  set  off  for  the  mountains. 

On  his  way  out  of  town  he  had  to  pass  the  prison,  and 
as  he  looked  in  at  the  windows,  whom  should  he  see  but 
Schwartz  himself  peeping  out  of  the  bars  and  looking  very 
disconsolate! 

IS  "  Good -morning,  brother,"  said  Hans.  "Have  you  any 
message  for  the  King  of  the  Golden  River?" 

Schwartz  gnashed  his  teeth  with  rage,  and  shook  the  bars 
with  all  his  strength;  but  Hans  only  laughed  at  him,  and, 
advising  him   to   make  himself   comfortable   till  he   came 

20  back  again,  shouldered  his  basket,  shook  the  bottle  of  holy 
water  in  Schwartz's  face  till  it  frothed  again,  and  marched 
off  in  the  highest  spirits  in  the  world. 

It  was,  indeed,  a  morning  that  might  have  made  anyone 
happy,  even  with  no  Golden  River  to  seek  for.     Level  lines 

25  of  dewy  mist  lay  stretched  along  the  valley,  out  of  which 
rose  the  massy  mountains  —  their  lower  cliffs  in  pale  gray 
shadow  hardly  distinguishable  from  the  floating  vapor, 
but  gradually  ascending  till  they  caught  the  sunlight,  which 
ran  in  sharp  touches  of  ruddy  color  along  the  angular  crags, 

30  and  pierced,  in  long  level  rays,  through  their  fringes  of  spear- 
like pine.  Far  above  shot  up  red  splintered  masses  of  cas- 
tellated rocks,  jagged  and  shivered  into  myriads  of  fantastic 
forms,  with  here  and  there  a  streak  of  sunlit  snow  traced 
down  their  chasms  like  a  line  of  forked  lightning;   and  far 

35  beyond  and  far  above  all  these,  fainter  than  the  morning 


THE   KING   OF   THE   GOLDEN   RIVER  25 

cloud,  but  purer  and  changeless,  slept,  in  the  blue  sky,  the 
utmost  peaks  of  the  eternal  snow. 

The  Golden  River,  which  sprang  from  one  of  the  lower 

and  snowless  elevations,  was  now  nearly  in  shadow;   all  but 

5  the  uppermost  jets  of  spray,  which  rose  like  slow  smoke 

above  the  undulating  line  of  the  cataract,  and  floated  away 

in  feeble  wreaths  upon  the  morning  wind. 

On  this  object,  and  on  this  aloni,  Hans's  eyes  and  thoughts 
were  fixed;    forgetting  the  distance  he  had  to  traverse,  he 

10  set  off  at  an  imprudent  rate  of  walking,  which  greatly  ex- 
hausted him  before  he  had  scaled  the  first  range  of  the  green 
and  low  hills.  He  was,  moreover,  surprised  on  surmounting 
them  to  find  that  a  large  glacier,  of  whose  existence,  notwith- 
standing his  previous  knowledge  of  the  mountains,  he  had 

15  been  absolutely  ignorant,  lay  between  him  and  the  source 

of  the  Golden  River.     He  entered  on  it  with  the  boldness 

of  a  practiced  mountaineer;    yet  he  thought  he  had  never 

traversed  so  strange  or  so  dangerous  a  glacier  in  his  life. 

The  ice  was  excessively  slippery,  and  out  of  all  its  chasms 

20  came  wild  sounds  of  gushing  water;  not  monotonous  or  low, 
but  changeful  and  loud,  rising  occasionally  into  drifting 
passages  of  wild  melody,  then  breaking  off  into  short,  melan- 
choly tones,  or  sudden  shrieks,  resembling  those  of  human 
voices  in  distress  or  pain.     The  ice  was  broken  into  thousands 

25  of  confused  shapes,  but  none,  Hans  thought,  like  the  ordinary 
forms  of  splintered  ice.  There  seemed  a  curious  expression 
about  their  outlines  —  a  perpetual  resemblance  to  living 
features,  distorted  and  scornful.  Myriads  of  deceitful 
shadows  and  lurid  lights  played  and  floated  about  the  pale 

30  blue  pinnacles,  dazzling  and  confusing  the  sight  of  the 
traveler;  while  his  ear  grew  dull  and  his  head  dizzy  with 
the  constant  gush  and  roar  of  the  concealed  waters. 

These  painful  circumstances  increased  upon  him  as  he 
advanced;    the  ice  crashed  and  yawned  into  fresh  chasms 

35  at  his  feet,   tottering  spires  nodded   around  him  and   fell 


26  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

thundering  across  his  path;  and  though  he  had  repeatedly 
faced  these  dangers  on  the  most  terrific  glaciers  and  in  the 
wildest  weather,  it  was  with  a  new  and  oppressive  feeling 
of  panic  terror  that  he  leaped  the  last  chasm,  and  flung  him- 

5  self,   exhausted   and   shuddering,   on  the  firm  turf  of  the 
mountain. 

He  had  been  compelled  to  abandon  his  basket  of  food, 
which  became  a  perilous  incumbrance  on  the  glacier,  and 
had  now  no  means  of  refreshing  himself  but  by  breaking 

lo  off  and  eating  some  of  the  pieces  of  ice.  This,  however, 
relieved  his  thirst;  an  hour's  repose  recruited  his  hardy 
frame,  and  with  the  indomitable  spirit  of  avarice  he  resumed 
his  laborious  journey. 

His  way  lay  straight  up  a  ridge  of  bare  rocks,  without  a 

15  blade  of  grass  to  relieve  the  foot  or  a  projecting  angle  to 
afford  an  inch  of  shade  from  the  south  sun.  It  was  past 
noon,  and  the  rays  beat  intensely  upon  the  steep  path, 
while  the  whole  atmosphere  was  motionless  and  penetrated 
with  heat.     Intense  heat  was  soon  added  to  the  bodily  fatigue 

20  with  which  Hans  was  now  afflicted ;  glance  after  glance  he 
cast  on  the  flask  of  water  which  hung  at  his  belt.  "Three 
drops  are  enough,"  at  last  thought  he;  ''I  may,  at  least, 
cool  my  lips  with  it." 

He  opened  the  flask  and  was  raising  it  to  his  lips,  when  his 

25  eye  fell  on  an  object  on  the  rock  beside  him.  He  thought  it 
moved.  It  was  a  small  dog,  apparently  in  the  last  agony  of 
death  from  thirst.  Its  tongue  was  out,  its  jaws  dry,  its 
limbs  extended  lifelessly,  and  a  swarm  of  black  ants  were 
crawling  about  its  lips  and  throat.     Its  eye  moved  to  the 

30  bottle  which  Hans  held  in  his  hand.  He  raised  it,  drank, 
spurned  the  animal  with  his  foot,  and  passed  on.  And  he 
did  not  know  how  it  was,  but  he  thought  that  a  strange 
shadow  had  suddenly  come  across  the  blue  sky. 

The  path  became  steei)er  and  more  rugged  every  moment; 

35  and  the  high  hill  air,  instead  of  refreshing  him,  seemed  to 


THE  KING  OF  THE  GOLDEN  RIVER  27 

throw  his  blood  into  a  fever.  The  noise  of  the  hill  cata- 
racts sounded  like  mockery  in  his  ear;  they  were  all  distant, 
and  his  thirst  increased  every  moment.  Another  hour  passed, 
and  again  he  looked  down  to  the  flask  at  his  side :  it  was  half 
5  empty,  but  there  was  much  more  than  three  drops  in  it. 
He  stopped  to  open  it,  and  again,  as  he  did  so,  something 
moved  in  the  path  before  him.  It  was  a  fair  child 
stretched  nearly  lifeless  on  the  rock,  its  breast  heaving  with 
thirst,   its  eyes   closed,  and   its  lips  parched  and  burning. 

10  Hans  eyed  it  deliberately,  drank,  and  passed  on.  And  a 
dark  gray  cloud  came  over  the  sun,  and  long,  snake-like 
shadows  crept  up  along  the  mountain  sides.  Hans  struggled 
on.  The  sun  was  sinking,  but  its  descent  seemed  to  bring 
no  coolness;   the  leaden  weight  of  the  dead  air  pressed  upon 

15  his  brow  and  heart,  but  the  goal  was  near.    He  saw  the  cat- 
aract of  the  Golden  River  springing  from  the  hillside,  scarcely 
five  hundred  feet  above  him.    He  paused  for  a  moment  to 
breathe,  and  sprang  on  to  complete  his  task. 
At  this  instant  a  faint  cry  fell  on  his  ear.    He  turned  and 

20  saw  a  gray-haired  old  man  extended  on  the  rocks.  His  eyes 
were  sunk,  his  features  deadly  pale  and  gathered  into  an  ex- 
pression of  despair.  "Water!"  He  stretched  his  arms  to 
Hans  and  cried  feebly,  "Water!   I  am  dying!" 

"I  have  none,"  replied  Hans;    "thou  hast  had  thy  share 

25  of  life."  He  strode  over  the  prostrate  body  and  darted  on. 
And  a  flash  of  blue  lightning  rose  out  of  the  east  shaped  like 
a  sword.  It  shook  thrice  over  the  whole  heaven,  and  left  it 
dark  with  one  heavy,  impenetrable  shade.  The  sun  was 
setting;   it  plunged  toward  the  horizon  like  a  red-hot  ball. 

30  The  roar  of  the  Golden  River  rose  on  Hans's  ear.  He 
stood  at  the  brink  of  the  chasm  through  which  it  ran.  Its 
waves  were  filled  with  the  red  glory  of  the  sunset;  they 
shook  the  crests  like  tongues  of  fire,  and  flashes  of  bloody 
light  gleamed  along  their  foam.     Their  sound  came  mightier 

35  and  mightier  on  his  senses;   his  brain  grew  giddy  with  the 


28  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

prolonged  thunder.  Shuddering,  he  drew  the  flask  trom  his 
girdle  and  hurled  it  into  the  center  of  the  torrent.  As  he 
did  so  an  icy  chill  shot  through  his  limbs;  he  staggered, 
shrieked,  and  fell.  The  waters  closed  over  his  cry,  and 
5  the  moaning  of  the  river  rose  wildly  into  the  night  as  it 
gushed  over 

The  Black  Stone 


Chapter  IV 

Poor  little  Gluck  waited  very  anxiously,  alone  in  the  house, 
for  Hans's  return.  Finding  he  did  not  come  back  he  was 
terribly  frightened,  and  went  and  told  Schwartz  in  the  prison 

lo  all  that  had  happened.  Then  Schwartz  was  very  much 
pleased,  and  said  that  Hans  must  have  certainly  been  turned 
into  a  black  stone;  he  should  have  all  the  gold  to  himself. 
But  Gluck  was  very  sorry  and  cried  all  night.  When  he  got 
up  in  the  morning  there  was  no  bread  in  the  house  nor  any 

15  money;  so  Gluck  went  and  hired  himself  to  another  gold- 
smith, and  he  worked  so  hard,  and  so  neatly,  and  so  long 
every  day  that  he  soon  got  money  enough  together  to  pay 
his  brother's  fine,  and  he  went  and  gave  it  all  to  Schwartz, 
and  Schwartz  got  out  of  prison.     Then  Schwartz  was  quite 

20  pleased,  and  said  that  he  should  have  some  of  the  gold  of 
the  river.  But  Gluck  only  begged  he  would  go  and  see  what 
had  become  of  Hans. 

Now  when  Schwartz  heard  that  Hans  had  stolen  the  holy 
water,  he  thought  to  himself  that  such  a  proceeding  might 

25  not  be  considered  altogether  correct  by  the  King  of  the 
Golden  River,  and  determined  to  manage  matters  better. 
So  he  got  up  early  in  the  morning,  before  the  sun  rose, 
and  took  some  bread  and  wine  in  a  basket,  and  put  his  holy 
water  in  a  flask,  and  set  ofl^  for  the  mountains.     Like  his 

30  brother,  he  was  much  surprised  at  the  sight  of  the  glacier, 


THE   KING   OF  THE  GOLDEN   RIVER  29 

and  had  great  difficulty  in  crossing  it,  even  after  leaving  his 
basket  behind  him.  The  day  was  cloudless,  but  not  bright; 
there  was  a  heavy  purple  haze  hanging  over  the  sky,  and 
the  hills  looked  lowering  and  gloomy.  And  as  Schwartz 
5  climbed  the  steep  rock  path  the  thirst  came  upon  him,  as  it 
had  upon  his  brother,  until  he  lifted  his  flask  to  his  lips  to 
drink.  Then  he  saw  the  fair  child  lying  near  him  on  the 
rocks,  and  it  cried  to  him  and  moaned  for  water.  ''Water, 
indeed!"  said  Schwartz;    "I  haven't   enough  for  myself," 

10  and  passed  on.  And  as  he  went  he  thought  the  sunbeams 
became  dim,  and  he  saw  a  low  bank  of  black  cloud  rising 
out  of  the  west ;  and  when  he  had  climbed  for  another  hour 
the  thirst  overcame  him  again,  and  he  would  have  drunk. 
Then  he  saw  the  old  man  lying  before  him  on  the  path, 

IS  and  heard  him  cry  out  for  water.  "Water,  indeed!"  said 
Schwartz;  "I  haven't  half  enough  for  myself,"  and  on  he 
went. 

Then  again  the  light  seemed  to  fade  before  his  eyes,  and 
he  looked  up,  and  behold,  a  mist  of  the  color  of  blood  had 

20  come  over  the  sun,  and  the  bank  of  the  black  cloud  had 
risen  very  high,  and  its  edges  were  tossing  and  tumbling, 
like  the  waves  of  an  angry  sea;  and  they  cast  long  shadows 
which  flickered  over  Schwartz's  path. 

Then  Schwartz  climbed  for  another  hour,  and  again  his 

25  thirst  returned ;  and  as  he  lifted  his  flask  to  his  lips  he  thought 
he  saw  his  brother  Hans  lying  exhausted  on  the  path  before 
him;  and  as  he  gazed  the  figure  stretched  its  arms  to  him, 
and  cried  for  water.  *'Ha,  ha!"  laughed  Schwartz;  ''are 
you  there?    Remember  the  prison  bars,  my  boy.     Water, 

30  indeed!  do  you  suppose  I  carried  it  all  the  way  up  here  for 
you!^^  And  he  strode  over  the  figure;  yet,  as  he  passed, 
he  thought  he  saw  a  strange  expression  of  mockery  about  its 
lips.  And  when  he  had  gone  a  few  yards  farther  he  looked 
back,  but  the  figure  was  not  there. 

35     And  a  sudden  horror  came  over  Schwartz,  he  knew  not 


30  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

why;  but  the  thirst  for  gold  prevailed  over  his  fear,  and  he 
rushed  on.  And  the  bank  of  black  cloud  rose  to  the  zenith, 
and  out  of  it  came  bursts  of  spiry  lightning,  and  waves  of 
darkness  seemed  to  heave  and  float  between  their  flashes, 
5  over  the  whole  heavens.  And  the  sky  where  the  sun  was 
setting  was  all  level,  and  like  a  lake  of  blood ;  and  a  strong 
wind  came  out  of  that  sky,  tearing  its  crimson  clouds  into 
fragments  and  scattering  them  far  into  the  darkness.  And 
when  Schwartz  stood  by  the  brink  of  the  Golden  River,  its 

to  waves  were  black  like  thunder  clouds,  but  their  foam  was 
like  fire;  and  the  roar  of  the  waters  below  and  the  thunder 
above  met  as  he  cast  the  flask  into  the  stream.  And  as  he 
did  so  the  lightning  glared  in  his  eyes,  and  the  earth  gave 
way  beneath  him,  and  the  waters  closed  over  his  cry.     And 

15  the  moaning  of  the  river  rose  wildly  into  the  night  as  it 
gushed  over  the 

Two  Black  Stones 


Chapter  V 

When  Gluck  found  that  Schwartz  did  not  come  back, 
he  was  very  sorry,  and  he  did  not  know  what  to  do.  He 
had  no  money,  and  was  obliged  to  go  and  hire  himself  again 

20  to  the  goldsmith,  who  worked  him  very  hard  and  gave  him 
very  little  money.  So  after  a  month  or  two  Gluck  grew 
tired,  and  made  up  his  mind  to  go  and  try  his  fortune  with 
the  Golden  River.  ''The  little  king  looked  very  kind," 
thought  he.     ''I  don't  think   he  will  turn  me  into  a  black 

25  stone."  So  he  went  to  the  priest,  and  the  priest  gave  him 
some  holy  water  as  soon  as  he  asked  for  it.  Then  Gluck 
put  some  bread  into  his  basket,  and  the  bottle  of  water,  and 
set  off  very  early  for  the  mountains. 

If  the  glacier  had  occasioned  a  great  deal  of  fatigue  to  his 

30  brothers,  it  was  twenty  times  worse  for  him,  who  was  neither 


THE  KING  OF  THE   GOLDEN  RIVER  31 

SO  strong  nor  so  practiced  on  the  mountains.  He  had  sev- 
eral very  bad  falls,  lost  his  basket  and  bread,  and  was  very- 
much  frightened  at  the  strange  noises  under  the  ice.  He 
lay  a  long  time  to  rest  on  the  grass  after  he  had  got  over, 
5  and  began  to  climb  the  hill  just  in  the  hottest  part  of  the 
day.  When  he  had  climbed  for  an  hour  he  got  dreadfully 
thirsty,  and  was  going  to  drink  like  his  brothers,  when  he 
saw  an  old  man  coming  down  the  path  above  him,  looking 
very  feeble  and  leaning  on  a  staff. 

10  "My  son,"  said  the  old  man,  "I  am  faint  with  thirst; 
give  me  some  of  that  water!"  Then  Gluck  looked  at  him, 
and  when  he  saw  that  he  was  pale  and  weary,  he  gave  him 
the  water.  "Only,  pray,  don't  drink  it  all,"  said  Gluck. 
But  the  old  man  drank  a  great  deal,  and  gave  him  back  the 

X 5  bottle  two  thirds  empty.  Then  he  bade  him  good  speed,  and 
Gluck  went  on  again  merrily.  And  the  path  became  easier  to 
his  feet,  and  two  or  three  blades  of  grass  appeared  upon  it, 
and  some  grasshoppers  began  singing  on  the  bank  beside  it; 
and  Gluck  thought  he  had  never  heard  such  merry  singing.. 

20  Then  he  went  on  for  another  hour,  and  the  thirst  increased 
on  him  so  that  he  thought  he  should  be  forced  to  drink. 
But  as  he  raised  the  flask  he  saw  a  little  child  lying  pant- 
ing by  the  roadside,  and  it  cried  out  piteously  for  water. 
Then  Gluck  struggled  with  himself,  and  determined  to  bear 

25  the  thirst  a  little  longer;  and  he  put  the  bottle  to  the  child's 
lips,  and  it  drank  all  but  a  few  drops.  Then  it  smiled  on 
him,  and  got  up  and  ran  down  the  hill;  and  Gluck  looked 
after  it  till  it  became  as  small  as  a  little  star,  and  then  turned 
and  began  climbing  again.     And  then  there  were  all  kinds 

30  of  sweet  flowers  growing  on  the  rocks  —  bright  green  moss, 
with  pale  pink  starry  flowers,  and  soft  belled  gentians  more 
blue  than  the  sky  at  its  deepest,  and  pure  white  transparent 
lilies.  And  crimson  and  purple  butterflies  darted  hither 
and  thither,  and  the  sky  sent  down  such  pure  light  that 

35  Gluck  had  never  felt  so  happy  in  his  life. 


32  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Yet,  when  he  had  climbed  for  another  hour,  his  thirst 
became  intolerable  again;  and  when  he  looked  at  his  bot- 
tle, he  saw  that  there  were  only  five  or  six  drops  left  in  it, 
and  he  could  not  venture  to  drink.  And  as  he  was  hanging 
5  the  flask  to  his  belt  again  he  saw  a  little  dog  lying  on  the 
rocks,  gasping  for  breath  —  just  as  Hans  had  seen  it  on  the 
day  of  his  ascent.  And  Gluck  stopped  and  looked  at  it, 
and  then  at  the  Golden  River,  not  five  hundred  yards  above 
him;    and  he  thought  of  the  dwarf's  words,  **that  no  one 

lo  could  succeed  except  in  his  first  attempt,"  and  he  tried  to 
pass  the  dog,  but  it  whined  piteously,  and  Gluck  stopped 
again.  "Poor  beastie,"  said  Gluck,  "it  '11  be  dead  when  I 
come  down  again,  if  I  don't  help  it  new."  Then  he  looked 
closer  and  closer  at  it,  and  its  eye  turned  on  him  so  moum- 

15  fully  that  he  could  not  stand  it.  "Confound  the  King,  and 
his  gold  too!"  said  Gluck;  and  he  opened  the  flask  and 
poured  all  the  water  into  the  dog's  mouth. 

The  dog  sprang  up  and  stood  on  his  hind  legs.     Its  tail 
disappeared,  its  ears  became  long,  longer,  silky,  golden;   its 

20  nose  became  very  red,  its  eyes  became  very  twinkling;  in 
three  seconds  the  dog  was  gone,  and  before  Gluck  stood  his 
old  acquaintance,  the  King  of  the  Golden  River. 

"Thank  you,"  said  the  monarch;    "but  don't  be  fright- 
ened, it 's  all  right  —  for  Gluck  showed  manifest  symptoms 

25  of  consternation  at  this  unlooked-for  reply  to  his  last  observa- 
tion. "Why  didn't  you  come  before,"  continued  the  dwarf, 
"instead  of  sending  me  those  rascally  brothers  of  yours,  for 
me  to  have  the  trouble  of  turning  into  stones?  Very  hard 
stones  they  make,  too." 

30  "Oh,  dear  me!"  said  Gluck,  "have  you  really  been  so 
cruel?" 

"Cruel!"  said  the  dwarf.    "They  poured  unholy  water 

into  my  stream:  do  you  suppose  I'm  going  to  allow  that?" 

"Why,"  said  Gluck,  "I  am  sure,  sir  —  your  Majesty,  I 

35  mean  —  they  got  the  water  out  of  the  church  font." 


THE   KING  OF  THE   GOLDEN  RIVER  33 

"Very  probably,"  replied  the  dwarf;  ''but,"  and  his 
countenance  grew  stern  as  he  spoke,  "the  water  which  has 
been  refused  to  the  weary  and  the  dying  is  unholy,  though 
it  had  been  blessed  by  every  saint  in  heaven;  and  the  water 
5  which  is  found  in  the  vessel  of  mercy  is  holy,  though  it  had 
been  defiled  with  corpses." 

So  saying,  the  dwarf  stooped  and  plucked  a  lily  that  grew 
at  his  feet.  On  its  white  leaves  there  hung  three  drops  of 
clear  dew.    And  the  dwarf  shook  them  into  the  flask  which 

10  Gluck  held  in  his  hand.  "Cast  these  into  the  river,"  he 
said,  "and  descend  on  the  other  side  of  the  mountains  into 
the  Treasure  Valley.     And  so  good  speed!" 

As  he  spoke,  the  figure  of  the  dwarf  became  indistinct. 
The  playing  colors  of  his  robe  formed  themselves  into  a 

15  prismatic  mist  of  dewy  light;   he  stood  for  an  instant  veiled 

with  them  as  with  the  belt  of  a  broad  rainbow.     The  colors 

grew  faint,  the  mist  rose  into  the  air  —  the  monarch  had 

evaporated. 

And  Gluck  climbed  to  the  brink  of  the  Golden  River, 

20  and  its  waves  were  as  clear  as  crystal  and  as  brilliant  as  the 
sun.     And  when  he  cast  the  three  drops  of  dew  into  the 
stream,  there  opened,  where  they  fell,  a  small  circular  whirl- 
pool, into  which  the  waters  descended  with  a  musical  noise. 
Gluck  stood  watching  it  for  some  time,  very  much  disap- 

25  pointed  because  the  river  not  only  was  not  turned  into  gold, 
but  its  waters  seemed  much  diminished  in  quantity.  Yet  he 
obeyed  his  friend  the  dwarf,  and  descended  the  other  side 
of  the  mountains  towards  the  Treasure  Valley;  and  as  he 
went  he  thought  he  heard  the  noise  of  water  working  its 

30  way  under  the  ground.  And  when  he  came  in  sight  of 
the  Treasure  Valley,  behold,  a  river  like  the  Golden  River, 
was  springing  from  a  new  cleft  of  the  rocks  above  it,  and 
was  flowing  in  innumerable  streams  among  the  dry  heaps  of 
red  sand. 

35      And  as  Gluck  gazed,  fresh  grass  sprang  beside  the  new 


34  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

streams,  and  creeping  plants  grew  and  climbed  among  the 
moistening  soil.  Young  flowers  opened  suddenly  along  the 
river  sides,  as  stars  leap  out  when  twilight  is  deepening, 
and  thickets  of  myrtle  and  tendrils  of  vine  cast  lengthening 
5  shadows  over  the  valley  as  they  grew.  And  thus  the  Treasure 
Valley  became  a  garden  again,  and  the  inheritance  which 
had  been  lost  by  cruelty  was  regained  by  love. 

And  Gluck  went  and  dwelt  in  the  valley,  and  the  poor 
were  never  driven  from  his  door;   so  that  his  bams  became 

lo  full  of  corn  and  his  house  of  treasure.  And  for  him  the 
river  had,  according  to  the  dwarf's  promise,  become  a  River 
of  Gold. 

And  to  this  day  the  inhabitants  of  the  valley  point  out 
the  place  where  the  three  drops  of  holy  dew  were  cast  into 

15  the  stream,  and  trace  the  course  of  the  Golden  River  under 
the  ground  until  it  emerges  in  the  Treasure  Valley.  And  at 
the  top  of  the  cataract  of  the  Golden  River  are  still  to  be  seen 
Two  Black  Stones,  round  which  the  waters  howl  mourn- 
fully every  day  at  sunset;    and  these  stones  are  still  called 

20  by  the  people  of  the  valley 

The  Black  Brothers 


NOTES 

(The  figures  refer  to  page  and  line) 

7:  I  Styria.  A  grand  duchy  belonging  to  the  Austria -Hungarian 
Empire.  It  lies  between  Austria  and  Hungary,  and  is  a  mountainous 
country,  crossed  by  the  Alps.  The  fields  and  orchards  of  Styria  yield 
bountiful  crops,  the  raising  of  livestock  and  the  dairying  industry  are 
extensively  carried  on,  and  there  are  many  mineral  products. 

7: 2     Luxuriant.     Abundant. 

8:  21  Hedgehogs.  Small  animals  having  the  back  covered  with 
sharp,  strong  spines  or  bristles  about  an  inch  long. 

8:  23     Cicadas.     Locusts;  insects  popularly  known  as  grasshoppers. 

9: 20     Inundation.     A  flood. 

9:  26    Maledictions.  Curses. 

10:  13     Astounding.     Astonishing;  surprising. 

10:21     Refractory.     Stubborn;   obstinate;   difficult  to  manage. 

10: 27    Altitude.     Height. 

10:  28  Doublet.  A  coat  worn  by  men  from  the  end  of  the  fifteenth 
to  about  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century. 

11:  4  Concerto.  A  piece  of  music  composed  for  two  or  more  solo 
instruments  of  the  same  or  different  kinds. 

11:13     Waistcoat.     A  man's  garment;  a  vest. 

11:21     Petulantly.     Rudely  impatient;    crossly. 

11:  29  Savory.     Having  a  flavor;   pleasant  to  the  taste  and  smell. 

12:  II  Hob.  A  shelf  at  the  side  of  the  fireplace  on  which  things 
were  placed  for  keeping  warm. 

12:34     Meditatively.     Thoughtfully. 

13: 27     Velocity.     Swiftness. 

13: 33    Deprecatingly.     Pleadingly. 

14:  I     Interposed.     Placed  between. 

16:  18    Incommode.     To  cause  trouble  or  inconvenience. 

16:  18  Ironically.  Speaking  in  a  manner  so  as  to  express  one 
thing  while  meaning  another;  making  fun  of. 

16: 22     Admonition.     Advice;   caution.^ 

17:4    Momentous.     Very  important. 

17:  7    Effectually.     So  as  to  secure  the  end  desired;  thoroughly. 

17: 13    Adverse.     Contrary. 

35 


36  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

17:  14     Patrimony.     Property  inherited  from  one's  ancestors. 

18:  25     Averred.     Said  in  a  convincing  way. 

18: 35     Malicious.    Wicked;   spiteful. , 

19:  14    Alternately.     In  turn;   one  after  the  other. 

19:  35     Effervescent.     BubbHng  and  hissing. 

20:  17     Crucible.     A  melting-pot;  used  for  melting  metals,  ores,  etc. 

21:  I  Akimbo.  ("In  keen  bow,"  in  a  sharp  bend.)  The  arms  are 
akimbo  when  the  hands  are  on  the  hips  and  the  elbows  are  bent  outward. 

21:8    Ascertaining.     Finding  out. 

21:9     Contemplating.     Looking  at;    considering. 

21:  12     Prismatic.     Rainbow  colors  made  by  a  prism. 

21:21     Pertinacious.     Persistent;  obstinate. 

21:21     Intractable.     Hard  to  manage. 

21:  30    Dictum.     Something  said  positively. 

22:  14     Consternation.     Surprise  combined  with  fright. 

22:15     Auditor.     Hearer;  one  who  listens  to  what  is  said. 

23: 8     Exit.     Departure;    going  out. 

23:  18     Adhered.     Stuck  to. 

23:  19     Credence.     Belief,  credit. 

24:  9    Alpine  staff.     A  long,  stout  stick  used  in  climbing  the  Alps. 

24:  31     Castellated.     Like  a  castle. 

25:6     Undulating.     Waving;  moving  in  waves. 

25 :  9     Traverse.     To  cross  in  traveling. 

25:  13  Glacier.  A  field  of  ice.  Glaciers  are  formed  at  the  foot  of 
lofty  mountains  on  whose  tops  the  snow  never  melts.  The  masses  of 
ice  are  pushed  by  the  snow  down  the  sides  of  the  mountains  out  into  the 
valleys. 

25:  20     Monotonous.     Iii  the  same  tone;   unchanging  in  sound. 

25:  27     Perpetual.     Everlasting. 

25:  29    Lurid.     Pale;   having  a  ghastly  glare. 

25:  30  Pinnacles.  Sharp  points  or  peaks;  the  topmost  points  of 
mountains. 

26:8     Incumbrance.     Burden;  hindrance. 

26:  II     Recruited.     Refreshed. 

26: 12     Indomitable.     That  cannot  be  conquered  or  subdued. 

26: 31     Spurned.     Pushed  aside. 

27:  28    Impenetrable.     That  cannot  be  pierced. 

32: 2    Intolerable.     Unbearable. 

32: 24    Manifest.    Plain. 


JACKANAPES 

JULIANA  HORATIA  EWING 

Juliana  Horatia  Ewing  was  bom  at  Ecclesfield,  Yorkshire,  England, 
in  1842.  Her  father  was  the  Rev.  Alfred  Gatty,  and  her  mother  was  a 
well-known  writer  of  children's  stories.  Even  as  a  child,  Juliana  was 
a  great  story  teller,  and  when  only  twenty  published  her  first  stories  in  a 
magazine.  In  1867,  she  was  married  to  Major  Alexander  Ewing,  and 
while  traveling  about  with  him  from  one  army  post  to  another,  she 
wrote  several  soldier  stories.  "Jackanapes,"  the  story  that  made  her 
famous,  was  begun  in  1879,  and  during  the  last  years  of  her  life  two  of 
her  best  stories  were  written,  "Daddy  Darwin's  Dovecote,"  and  "The 
Story  of  a  Short  Life."  The  book  proofs  of  the  latter  story  were  corrected 
only  a  few  days  before  her  death,  which  occurred  May  13,  1885. 

Chapter  I 


Last  noon  beheld  them  full  of  lusty  life. 
Last  eve  in  Beauty's  circle  proudly  gay. 
The  midnight  brought  the  signal  sound  of  strife, 
The  mom  the  marshalling  in  arms  —  the  day 
5  Battle's  magnificently  stem  array! 

The  thunder-clouds  close  o'er  it,  which  when  rent 
The  earth  is  covered  thick  with  other  clay, 
Which  her  own  clay  shall  cover,  heaped  and  pent, 
Rider  and  horse  —  friend,  foe  —  in  one  red  burial  blent. 

10  Their  praise  is  hymn'd  by  loftier  harps  than  mine; 

Yet  one  would  I  select  from  that  proud  throng. —  Byron 


Two  Donkeys  and  the  Geese  lived  on  the  Green,  and  all 

other  residents  of  any  social  standing  lived  in  houses  round  it. 

The  houses  had  no  names.     Everybody's  address  was  ''The 

15  Green,"  but  the  Postman  and  the  people  of  the  place  knew 

where  each  family  lived.     As  to  the  rest  of  the  world,  what 

37 


38  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

has  one  to  do  with  the  rest  of  the  world  when  he  is  safe  at  home 
on  his  own  Goose  Green?    Moreover,  if  a  stranger  did  come 
on  any  lawful  business,  he  might  ask  his  way  at  the  shop. 
Most  of  the  inhabitants  were  long-lived,  early  deaths  (like 

5  that  of  the  little  Miss  Jessamine)  being  exceptional;  and 
most  of  the  old  people  were  proud  of  their  age,  especially 
the  sexton,  who  would  be  ninety-nine  come  Martinmas,  and 
whose  father  remembered  a  man  who  had  carried  arrows, 
as  a  boy,  for  the  battle  of  Flodden  Field.     The  Gray   Goose 

lo  and  the  big  Miss  Jessamine  were  the  only  elderly  persons  who 
kept  their  ages  secret.  Indeed,  Miss  Jessamine  never 
mentioned  any  one's  age,  or  recalled  the  exact  year  in  which 
anything  had  happened.  She  said  that  she  had  been  taught 
that  it  was  bad  manners  to  do  so  "in  a  mixed  assembly." 

15  The  Gray  Goose  also  avoided  dates;  but  this  was  partly 
because  her  brain,  though  intelligent,  was  not  mathematical, 
and  computation  was  beyond  her.  She  never  got  farther 
than  "last  Michaelmas,"  "the  Michaelmas  before  that,"  and 
"the  Michaelmas  before  the  Michaelmas  before  that."     After 

20  this  her  head,  which  was  small,  became  confused,  and  she 
said,  "Ga,  ga!"  and  changed  the  subject. 

But  she  remembered  the  little  Miss  Jessamine,  the  Miss 
Jessamine  with  the  "conspicuous"  hair.  Her  aunt,  the  big 
Miss  Jessamine,  said  it  was  her  only  fault.    The  hair  was 

25  clean,  was  abundant,  was  glossy;  but  do  what  you  would 
with  it,  it  never  looked  quite  like  other  people.  And  at  church 
after  Saturday  night's  wash,  it  shone  like  the  best  brass  fender 
after  a  spring  cleaning.  In  short,  it  was  conspicuous,  which 
does  not  become  a  young  woman,  especially  in  church. 

30  Those  were  worrying  times  altogether,  and  the  Green  was 
used  for  strange  purposes.  A  political  meeting  was  held  on 
it  with  the  village  Cobbler  in  the  chair,  and  a  speaker  who 
came  by  stage-coach  from  the  town,  where  they  had  wrecked 
the  bakers'  shops,  and  discussed  the  price  of  bread.     He 

35  came  a  second  time  by  stage;  but  the  people  had  heard  some- 


JACKANAPES  39 

thing  about  him  in  the  meanwhile,  and  they  did  not  keep 
him  on  the  Green.  They  took  him  to  the  pond  and  tried 
to  make  him  swim,  which  he  could  not  do,  and  the  whole 
affair  was  very  disturbing  to  all  quiet  and  peaceable  fowls. 
5  After  which  another  man  came,  and  preached  sermons 
on  the  Green,  and  a  great  many  people  went  to  hear  him.; 
for  those  were  "trying  times,"  and  folk  ran  hither  and 
thither  for  comfort.  And  then  what  did  they  do  but  drill  the 
ploughboys  on  the  Green,  to  get  them  ready  to  fight  the 

10  French,  and  teach  them  the  goose-step !  However,  that  came 
to  an  end  at  last;  for  Bony  was  sent  to  St.  Helena,  and  the 
ploughboys  were  sent  back  to  the  plough. 

Everybody  lived  in  fear  of  Bony  in  those  days,  especially 
the  naughty  children,  who  were  kept  in  order  during  the  day 

15  by  threats  of  "Bony  shall  have  you,"  and  who  had  night- 
mares about  him  in  the  dark.  They  thought  he  was  an 
Ogre  in  a  cocked  hat.  The  Gray  Goose  thought  he  was  a 
Fox,  and  that  all  the  men  of  England  were  going  out  in  red 
coats  to  hunt  him.     It  was  no  use  to  argue  the  point ;  for  she 

20  had  a  very  small  head,  and  when  one  idea  got  into  it  there 
was  no  room  for  another. 

Besides,  the  Gray  Goose  never  saw  Bony,  nor  did  the 
children,  which  rather  spoilt  the  terror  of  him,  so  that  the 
Black  Captain  became  more  effective  as  a  Bogy  with  hard- 

25  ened  offenders.     The  Gray  Goose  remembered  his  coming  to 

the  place  perfectly.     What  he  came  for  she  did  not  pretend 

to  know.     It  was  all  part  and  parcel  of  the  war  and  bad  times. 

He  was  called  the  Black  Captain,  partly  because  of  himself 

and  partly  because  of  his  wonderful  black  mare.     Strange 

30  stories  were  afloat  of  how  far  and  how  fast  that  mare  could 
go  when  her  master's  hand  was  on  her  mane  and  he  whispered 
in  her  ear.  Indeed,  some  people  thought  w^e  might  reckon 
ourselves  very  lucky  if  we  were  not  out  of  the  frying-pan  into 
the  fire,  and  had  not  got  a  certain  well-known  Gentleman  of 

35  the  Road  to  protect  us  against  the  French.     But  that,  of 


40  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

course,  made  him  none  the  less  useful  to  the  Johnson's  Nurse 
when  the  little  Miss  Johnsons  were  naughty. 

''You  leave  off  crying  this  minnit,  Miss  Jane,  or  I'll  give 
you    right  away   to   that   horrid   wicked  officer.     Jemima! 

5  just  look  out  o'  the  windy,  if  you  please,  and  see  if  the  Black- 

Cap'n's  a-coming  with  his  horse  to  carry  away  Miss  Jane." 

And  there,  sure  enough,  the  Black  Captain  strode  by, 

with  his  sword  clattering  as  if  it  did  not  know  whose  head 

to  cut  off  first.     But  he  did  not  call  for  Miss  Jane  that  time. 

lo  He  went  on  to  the  Green,  where  he  came  so  suddenly  upon  the 
eldest  Master  Johnson,  sitting  in  a  puddle  on  purpose,  in 
his  new  nankeen  skeleton  suit,  that  the  young  gentleman 
thought  judgment  had  overtaken  him  at  last,  and  abandoned 
himself  to  the  bowlings  of  despair.     His  howls  were  re- 

15  doubled  when  he  was  clutched  from  behind  and  swung  over 
the  Black  Captain's  shoulder;  but  in  five  minutes  his  tears 
were  dried,  and  he  was  playing  with  the  officer's  accoutre- 
ments. 

All  of  which  the  Gray  Goose  saw  with  her  own  eyes,  and 

20  heard  afterwards  that  that  bad  boy  had  been  whining  to  go 
back  to  the  Black  Captain  ever  since,  which  showed  how 
hardened  he  was,  and  that  nobody  but  Bonaparte  himself 
could  be  expected  to  do  him  any  good. 

But  those  were  ''trying  times."     It  was  bad  enough  when 

25  the  most  troublesome  child  of  a  large  and  respectable  family 

cried  for  the  Black  Captain;  when  it  came  to  the  little  Miss 

Jessamine  crying  for  him,  one  felt  that  the  sooner  the  French 

landed  and  had  done  with  it,  the  better. 

The  big  Miss  Jessamine's  objection  to  him  was  that  he  was 

30  a  soldier;  and  this  prejudice  was  shared  by  all  the  Green. 
"A  soldier,"  as  the  speaker  from  the  town  had  observed,  "is 
a  blood-thirsty,  unsettled  sort  of  a  rascal,  that  the  peaceable, 
home-loving,  bread-winning  citizen  can  never  conscientiously 
look  on  as  a  brother  till  he  has  beaten  his  sword  into  a  plough- 

35  share  and  his  spear  into  a  pruning-hook." 


JACKANAPES  41 

On  the  other  hand,  there  was  some  truth  in  what  the  Post- 
man (an  old  soldier)  said  in  reply  —  that  the  sword  has  to 
to  cut  a  way  for  us  out  of  many  a  scrape  into  which  our 
bread-winners  get  us  when  they  drive  their  ploughshares 
5  into  fallows  that  don't  belong  to  them. 

Indeed,  whilst  our  most  peaceful  citizens  were  prosperous 
chiefly  by  means  of  cotton,  of  sugar,  and  of  the  rise  and  fall 
of  the  money-market  (not  to  speak  of  such  saleable  matters 
as  opium,  fire-arms  and  "black  ivory")  disturbances  were 

10  apt  to  arise  in  India,  Africa,  and  other  outlandish  parts,  where 
the  fathers  of  our  domestic  race  were  making  fortunes  for 
their  families.  And  for  that  matter,  even  on  the  Green, 
we  did  not  wish  the  military  to  leave  us  in  the  lurch,  so  long 
as  there  was  any  fear  that  the  French  were  coming. 

15  To  let  the  Black  Captain  have  little  Miss  Jessamine,  how- 
ever, was  another  matter.  Her  aunt  would  not  hear  of  it; 
and  then,  to  crown  all,  it  appeared  that  the  Captain's  father 
did  not  think  the  young  lady  good  enough  for  his  son.  Never 
was  any  affair  more  clearly  brought  to  a  conclusion. 

20  But  those  were  "trying  times";  and  one  moonlight  night, 
when  the  Gray  Goose  was  sound  asleep  upon  one  leg,  the 
Green  was  rudely  shaken  under  her  by  the  thud  of  a  horse's 
feet.  "Ga,  ga!"  said  she,  putting  down  the  other  leg  and 
running  away. 

25  By  the  time  she  returned  to  her  place  not  a  thing  was  to  be 
be  seen  or  heard.  The  horse  had  passed  like  a  shot.  But 
next  day  there  was  huriying  and  scurrying  and  cackling  at 
a  very  early  hour,  all  about  the  white  house  with  the  black 
beams,  where  Miss  Jessamine  lived. 

3c  And  when  the  sun  was  so  low  and  the  shadows  so  long  on 
the  grass  that  the  Gray  Goose  felt  ready  to  run  away  at  the 
sight  of  her  own  neck,  little  Miss  Jane  Johnson  and  her 
"particular  friend"  Clarinda  sat  under  the  big  oak  tree  on  the 
Green,  and  Jane  pinched  Clarinda's  little  finger  till  she  found 

35  that  she  could  keep  a  secret,  and  then  she  told  her  in  confi- 


42  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

dence  that  she  had  heard  from  Nurse  and  Jemima  that  Miss 
Jessamine's  niece  had  been  a  very  naughty  girl,  and  that  that 
horrid  wicked  officer  had  come  for  her  on  his  black  horse 
and  carried  her  right  away. 
5      "Will  she  never  come  back?"  asked  Clarinda. 

"Oh,  no!"   said   Jane,  decidedly.     "Bony  never  brings 
people  back." 

"Not  never  no  more?"  sobbed  Clarinda,  for  she  was  weak- 
minded,  and  could  not  bear  to  think  that  Bony  never,  never 
lo  let  naughty  people  go  home  again. 

Next  day  Jane  had  heard  more. 

"He  has  taken  her  to  a  Green." 

"A  Goose  Green?"  asked  Clarinda. 

"No.    A  Gretna  Green.     Don't  ask  so  many  questions, 
15  child,"  said  Jane,  who,  having  no  more  to  tell,  gave  herself 
airs. 

Jane  was  wrong  on  one  point.  Miss  Jessamine's  niece 
did  come  back,  and  she  and  her  husband  were  forgiven.  The 
Gray  Goose  remembered  it  well;  it  was  Michaelmastide,  the 
20  Michaelmas  before  the  Michaelmas  before  the  Michaelmas 
—  but,  ga,  ga!  What  does  the  date  matter  ?  It  was  autumn, 
harvest  time,  and  everybody  was  so  busy  prophesying  and 
praying  about  the  crops,  that  the  young  people  wandered 
through  the  lanes,  and  got  blackberries  for  Miss  Jessamine's 
25  celebrated  crab  and  blackberry  jam,  and  decked  themselves 
with  bryony-wreaths,  and  not  a  soul  troubled  his  head  about 
them,  except  the  children  and  the  Postman. 

The  children  dogged  the  Black  Captain's  footsteps  (his 
bubble  reputation  as  an  Ogre  having  burst)  clamoring  for  a 
30  ride  on  the  black  mare.    And  the  Postman  would  go  some- 
what out  of  his  postal  way  to  catch  the  Captain's  dark  eye, 
and  show  that  he  had  not  forgotten  how  to  salute  an  officer. 

But  they  were  "trying  times."     One  afternoon  the  black 

mare  was  stepping  gently  up  and  down  the  grass,  with  her 

35  head  at  her  master's  shoulder,  and  as  many  children  crowded 


JACKANAPES  43 

on  to  her  silky  back  as  if  she  had  been  an  elephant  in  a 
menagerie;  and  the  next  afternoon  she  carried  him  away, 
sword  and  sabre-tache  clattering  war  music  at  her  side,  and 
the  old  Postman  waiting  for  them,  rigid  with  salutation,  at 
5  the  four  cross-roads. 

War  and  bad  times!  It  was  a  hard  winter;  and  the  big 
Miss  Jessamine  and  the  little  Miss  Jessamine  (but  she  was 
Mrs.  Black-Captain  now)  lived  very  economically,  that 
they  might  help  their  poorer  neighbors.  They  neither  en- 
10  tertained  nor  went  into  company;  but  the  young  lady  always 
went  up  the  village  as  far  as  the  George  and  Dragon^  for  air 
and  exercise,  when  the  London  Mail  came  in. 

One  day  (it  was  a  day  in  the  following  June)  it  came  in 
earlier  than  usual,  and  the  young  lady  was  not  there  to  meet 
15  it. 

But  a  crowd  soon  gathered  round  the  George  and  Dragon, 
gaping  to  see  the  Mail  Coach  dressed  with  flowers  and  oak- 
leaves,  and  the  guard  wearing  a  laurel  wreath  over  and  above 
his  royal  livery.  The  ribbons  that  decked  the  horses  were 
20  stained  and  flecked  with  the  warmth  and  foam  of  the  pace 
at  which  they  had  come,  for  they  had  pressed  on  with  the 
news  of  Victory. 

'     Miss  Jessamine  was  sitting  with  her  niece  under  the  oak 
tree  on  the  Green,  when  the  Postman  put  a  newspaper  silently 
25  into  her  hand.     Her  niece  turned  quickly  — 
"Is  there  news?" 

''Don't   agitate  yourself,   my  dear,"   said   her  aunt.     "I 

will  read  it  aloud,  and  then  we  can  enjoy  it  together;  a  far 

more  comfortable  method,  my  love,  than  when  you  go  up  the 

30  village,  and  come  home  out  of  breath,  having  snatched  half 

the  news  as  you  run." 

"I  am  all  attention,  dear  aunt,"  said  the  little  lady,  clasping 
her  hands  tightly  on  her  lap. 

Then  Miss  Jessamine  read  aloud  —  she  was  proud  of  her 
5  reading  —  and  the  old  soldier  stood  at  attention  behind  her, 


44  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

with  such  a  blending  of  pride  and  pity  on  his  face  as  it  was 
strange  to  see  — 

"Downing  Street, 

June  22,  1815,  I  A.M." 
5      ''That's  one  in  the  morning,"  gasped  the  Postman;   ''beg 
your  pardon,  mum." 

But  though  he  apologized,  he  could  not  refrain  from  echo- 
ing here  and  there  a  weighty  word:    "Glorious  victory"  — 
"Two  hundred  pieces  of  artillery"  —  "Immense  quantity 
10  of  ammunition"  —  and  so  forth. 

"The  loss  of  the  British  Army  upon  this  occasion  has  unfortunately 

been  most  severe.     It  had  not  been  possible  to  make  out  a  return  of  the 

killed  and  woimded  when  Major  Percy  left  headquarters.     The  names 

of  the  officers  killed  and  wounded,  as  far  as  they  can  be  collected,  are 

15  annexed. 

"I  have  the  honor  — " 

"The  list,  aunt!    Read  the  list!" 
"My  love  —  my  darling  —  let  us  go  in  and  — " 
"No.    Now!  now!" 
20     To  one  thing  the  supremely  afflicted  are  entitled  in  their 
sorrow  —  to  be  obeyed ;   and  yet  it  is  the  last  kindness  that 
people  commonly  will  do  them.     But  Miss  Jessamine  did. 
Steadying  her  voice,  as  best  she  might,  she  read  on;  and  the 
old  soldier  stood  bareheaded  to  hear  that  first  Roll  of  the 
25  Dead  at  Waterloo,  which  began  with  the  Duke  of  Brunswick 
and    ended   with    Ensign    Brown.     Five-and-thirty   British 
Captains  fell  asleep  that  day  on  the  Bed  of  Honor,  and  the 
Black  Captain  slept  among  them. 

There  are  killed  and  wounded  by  war,  of  whom  no  returns 
30  reach  the  government. 

Three  days  later,  the  Captain's  wife  had  joined  him,  and 
Miss  Jessamine  was  kneeling  by  the  cradle  of  their  orphan 


JACKANAPES  45 

son,  a  purple-red  morsel  of  humanity,  with  conspicuously 
golden  hair. 

''Will  he  live,  Doctor?" 

"Live?     Bless   my   soul,    ma'am!     Look   at   him!    The 
5  young  Jackanapes!" 


Chapter  II 

And  he  wandered  away  and  away 

With  Nature,  the  dear  old  Nurse. —  Longfellow 

The  Gray  Goose  remembered  quite  well  the  year  that 
Jackanapes  began  to  walk,  for  it  was  the  year  that  the 

lo  speckled  hen  for  the  first  time  in  all  her  motherly  life  got  out 
of  patience  when  she  was  sitting.  She  had  been  rather  proud 
of  the  eggs  —  they  were  unusually  large  —  but  she  never 
felt  quite  comfortable  on  them;  and  whether  it  was  because 
she  used  to  get  cramp  and  go  off  the  nest,  or  because  the 

15  season  was  bad,  or  what,  she  never  could  tell;  but  every  egg 
was  bad  but  one,  and  the  one  that  did  hatch  gave  her  more 
trouble  than  any  chick  she  had  ever  reared. 

It  was  a  fine,  downy,  bright  yellow  little  thing,  but  it  had 
a  monstrous  big  nose  and  feet,  and  such  an  ungainly  walk 

20  as  she  knew  no  other  instance  of  in  her  well-bred  and  high- 
stepping  family.  And  as  to  behavior,  it  was  not  that  it  was 
either  quarrelsome  or  moping,  but  simply  unlike  the  rest. 
When  the  other  chicks  hopped  and  cheeped  on  the  Green 
about  their  mother's  feet  this  solitary  yellow  one  went  wad- 

25  dling  off  on  its  own  responsibility,  and  do  or  cluck  what 
the  speckled  hen  would,  it  went  to  play  in  the  pond. 

It  was  off  one  day  as  usual,  and  the  hen  was  fussing  and 
fuming  after  it,  when  the  Postman,  going  to  deliver  a  letter 
at  Miss  Jessamine's  door,  was  nearly  knocked  over  by  the 

^o  good  lady  herself,  who,  bursting  out  of  the  house  with  her 


46  .  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

cap  just  off  and  her  bonnet  just  not  on,  fell  into  his  arms, 
crying  — 

*'Baby!   Baby!   Jackanapes!   Jackanapes!" 
If  the  Postman  loved  anything  on  earth,  he  loved  the  Cap- 
stain's   yellow-haired    child;    so,   propping   Miss   Jessamine 
against  her  own  doorpost,  he  followed  the  direction  of  her 
trembling  fingers  and  made  for  the  Green. 

Jackanapes  had  had  the  start  of  the  Postman  by  nearly 

ten  minutes.     The  world  —  the  round,  green  world  with  an 

lo  oak  tree  on  it  —  was  just  becoming  very  interesting  to  him. 

He  had  tried,  vigorously  but  ineffectually,  to  mount  a  passing 

pig  the  last  time  he  was  taken  out  walking;  but  then  he  was 

•  encumbered  with  a  nurse. 

Now  he  was  his  own  master,  and  might,  by  courage  and 
15  energy,  become  the  master  of  that  delightful  downy,  dumpy, 
yellow  thing  that  was  bobbing  along  over  the  green  grass  in 
front  of  him. 

Forward !     Charge ! 

He  aimed  well,  and  grabbed  it,  but  only  to  feel  the  delicious 
20  downiness  and  dumpiness  slipping  through  his  fingers  as  he 
fell  upon  his  face. 

*'Quawk!"  said  the  yellow  thing,  and  wabbled  off  side- 
ways. 

It  was  this  oblique  movement  that  enabled  Jackanapes  to 
25  come  up  with  it,  for  it  was  bound  for  the  pond,  and  therefore 
obliged  to  come  back  into  line.  He  failed  again  from  top- 
heaviness,  and  his  prey  escaped  sideways  as  before,  and,  as 
before,  lost  ground  in  getting  back  to  the  direct  road  to  the 
Pond. 
30  And  at  the  Pond  the  Postman  found  them  both  —  one 
yellow  thing  rocking  safely  on  the  ripples  that  lie  beyond 
duck- weed  and  the  other  washing  his  draggled  frock  with 
tears  because  he  too  had  tried  to  sit  upon  the  Pond  and  it 
wouldn't  hold  him. 


JACKANAPES  47 


Chapter  III 


If  studious,  copie  fair  what  time  hath  blurr'd, 
Redeem  truth  from  his  jawes:  if  souldier, 
Chase  brave  employments  with  a  naked  sword 
Throughout  the  world.     Fool  not;   for  all  may  have, 
5  If  they  dare  try,  a  glorious  Hfe,  or  grave. 

In  brief,  acquit  thee  bravely:  play  the  man. 
Look  not  on  pleasures  as  they  come,  but  go. 
Defer  not  the  least  vertue:  life's  poore  span 
Make  not  an  ell,  by  trifling  in  thy  woe. 
lo  If  thou  do  ill,  the  joy  fades,  not  the  pains. 

If  well:   the  pain  doth  fade,  the  joy  remains. 

—  George  Herbert 

Young  Mrs.  Johnson,  who  was  a  mother  of  many,  hardly 
knew  which  to  pity  more  —  Miss  Jessamine  for  having  her 

15  little  ways  and  her  antimacassars  rumpled  by  a  young 
Jackanapes,  or  the  boy  himself  for  being  brought  up  by  an 
old  maid. 

►  Oddly  enough,  she  would  probably  have  pitied  neither  had 
Jackanapes  been  a  girl.     (One  is  so  apt  to  think  that  what 

20  works  smoothest,  works  to  the  highest  ends,  having  no  patience 
for  the  results  of  friction.)  That  Father  in  God  who  bade 
the  young  men  to  be  pure  and  the  maidens  brave,  greatly 
disturbed  a  member  of  his  congregation,  who  thought  that 
the  great  preacher  had  made  a  slip  of  the  tongue. 

25  ''That  the  girls  should  have  purity,  and  the  boys  courage, 
is  what  you  would  say,  good  Father?" 

''Nature  has  done  that,"  was  the  reply;   "I  meant  what  I 
^aid." 

Indeed,  a  young  maid  is  all  the  better  for  learning  some 

30  robust er  virtues  than  maidenliness  and  not  to  move  the  anti- 
macassars; and  the  robuster  virtues  require  some  fresh  air 
and  freedom.  As,  on  the  other  hand.  Jackanapes  (who  had 
a  boy's  full  share  of  the  little  beast  and  the  young  monkey  in 


48  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

his  natural  composition)  was  none  the  worse,  at  his  tender 
years,  for  learning  some  maidenliness  —  so  far  as  maidenli- 
ness  means  decency,  pity,  unselfishness  and  pretty  behavior. 

And  it  is  due  to  him  to  say  that  he  was  an  obedient  boy, 
5  and  a  boy  whose  word  could  be  depended  on,  long  before  his 
grandfather  the  General  came  to  live  at  the  Green. 

He  was  obedient;  that  is,  he  did  what  his  great-aunt  told 
him.  But  —  oh  dear!  oh  dear!  —  the  pranks  he  played, 
which  it  had  never  entered  into  her  head  to  forbid ! 
lo  It  was  when  he  had  just  been  put  into  trousers  (frocks  never 
suited  him)  that  he  became  very  friendly  with  Master  Tony 
Johnson,  a  younger  brother  of  the  young  gentleman  who  sat 
in  the  puddle  on  purpose.  Tony  was  not  enterprising,  and 
Jackanapes  led  him  by  the  nose.  One  summer's  evening 
15  they  were  out  late,  and  Miss  Jessamine  was  becoming  anxious, 
when  Jackanapes  presented  himself  with  a  ghastly  face  all 
besmirched  with  tears.     He  was  unusually  subdued. 

*'I'm  afraid,"  he  sobbed  —  "if  you  please,  I'm  very  much 
afraid  that  Tony  Johnson's  dying  in  the  churchyard." 
20      Miss  Jessamine  was  just  beginning  to  be  distracted,  when 
she  smelt  Jackanapes. 

"You  naughty,  naughty  boys!     Do  you  mean  to  tell  me 
that  you've  been  smoking?" 

"Not  pipes,"  urged  Jackanapes;   "upon  my  honor,  aunty, 
25  not  pipes.     Only  cigars  like  Mr.  Johnson's!  and  only  made 
of  brown  paper  with  a  very,  very  little  tobacco  from  the  shop 
inside  them." 

Whereupon  Miss  Jessamine  sent  a  servant  to  tlie  church- 
yard, who  found  Tony  Johnston  lying  on  a  tombstone,  very 
30  sick,  and  having  ceased  to  entertain  any  hopes  of  his  own 
recovery. 

If  it  could  be  possible  that  any  "unpleasantness"  could 

arise  between  two  such  amiable  neighbors  as  Miss  Jessamine 

and  Mrs.  Johnson,  and  if  the  still  more  incredible  paradox 

35  can  be  that  ladies  may  differ  over  a  point  on  which  they 


JACKANAPES  49 

are  agreed,  that  point  was  the  admitted  fact  that  Tony  John- 
son was  "dehcate";  and  the  difference  lay  chiefly  in  this: 

Mrs.  Johnson  said  that  Tony  was  delicate  —  meaning  that 
he  was  more  finely  strung,  more  sensitive,  a  properer  subject 

5  for  pampering  and  petting,  than  Jackanapes,  and  that,  con- 
sequently. Jackanapes  was  to  blame  for  leading  Tony  into 
scrapes  which  resulted  in  his  being  chilled,  frightened,  or 
(most  frequently)  sick. 
But  when  Miss  Jessamine  said  that  Tony  Johnson  was 

lo  delicate,  she  meant  that  he  was  more  puling,  less  manly,  and 
less  healthily  brought  up  than  Jackanapes,  who,  when  they 
got  into  mischief  together,  was  certainly  not  to  blame  because 
his  friend  could  not  get  wet,  sit  a  kicking  donkey,  ride  in  the 
merry-go-round,  bear  the  noise  of  a  cracker,  or  smoke  brown 

15  paper  with  impunity,  as  he  could. 

Not  that  there  was  ever  the  slightest  quarrel  between  the 
ladies.  It  never  even  came  near  it,  except  the  day  after 
Tony  had  been  so  very  sick  with  riding  Bucephalus  in  the 
merry-go-round. 

20  Mrs.  Johnson  had  explained  to  Miss  Jessamine  that  the 
reason  Tony  was  so  easily  upset  was  the  unusual  sensitive- 
ness (as  a  doctor  had  explained  it  to  her)  of  the  nervous  centres 
in  her  family  —  ''Fiddlestick!"  So  Mrs.  Johnson  under- 
stood Miss  Jessamine  to  say;   but  it  appeared  that  she  only 

25  said  "Treaclestickl"  which  is  quite  another  thing,  and  of 
which  Tony  was  undoubtedly  fond. 

It  was  at  the  Fair  that  Tony  was  made  ill  by  riding  on 
Bucephalus.  Once  a  year  the  Goose  Green  became  the  scene 
of  a  carnival.     First  of  all,  carts  and  caravans  were  rumbling ' 

30  up  all  along,  day  and  night. 

Jackanapes  could  hear  them  as  he  lay  in  bed,  and  could 
hardly  sleep  for  speculating  what  booths  and  whirligigs  he 
should  find  fairly  established  when  he  and  his  dog  Spitfire 
went  out  after  breakfast.     As  a  matter  of  fact,  he  seldom  had 

35  to  wait  so  long  for  news  of  the  Fair.    The  Postman  knew  the 


50  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

window  out  of  which  Jackanapes'  yellow  head  would  come, 
and  was  ready  with  his  report. 

"Royal  Theayter,  Master  Jackanapes,  in  the  old  place, 
but  be  careful  o'  them  seats,  sir;  they're  ricketier  than  ever. 
5  Two  sweets  and  a  ginger  beer  under  the  oak  tree,  and  the 
Flying  Boats  is  just  a-coming  along  the  road." 

No  doubt  it  was  partly  because  he  had  already  suffered 
severely  in  the  Flying  Boats  that  Tony  collapsed  so  quickly  in 
the  merry-go-round.     He  only  mounted   Bucephalus   (who 

lo  was  spotted,  and  had  no  tail)  because  Jackanapes  urged  him, 
and  held  out  the  ingenious  hope  that  the  round-and-round 
feeling  would  very  likely  cure  the  up-and-down  sensation. 
It  did  not,  however,  and  Tony  tumbled  off  during  the  first 
revolution. 

15  Jackanapes  was  not  absolutely  free  from  qualms;  but  hav- 
ing once  mounted  the  Black  Prince,  he  stuck  to  him  as  a 
horseman  should.  During  his  first  round  he  waved  his  hat, 
and  observed  with  some  concern  that  the  Black  Prince  had 
lost  an  ear  since  last  Fair;   at  the  second,  he  looked  a  little 

20  pale,  but  sat  upright,  though  somewhat  unnecessarily  rigid ; 
at  the  third  round  he  shut  his  eyes. 

During  the  fourth  his  hat  fell  off,  and  he  clasped  his  horse's 
neck.  By  the  fifth  he  had  laid  his  yellow  head  against  the 
Black  Prince's  mane,  so  clung  anyhow  till  the  hobby  horses 

25  stopped,  when  the  proprietor  assisted  him  to  alight,  and  he  sat 

down  rather  suddenly  and  said  he  had  enjoyed  it  very  much. 

The  Gray  Goose  always  ran  away  at  the  first  approach  of 

the  caravans,  and  never  came  back  to  the  Green  till  there  wai 

nothing  left  of  the  Fair  but  footmarks  and  oyster- shells.     Run- 

30  ning  away  was  her  pet  principle;  the  only  system,  she  main- 
tained, by  which  you  can  live  long  and  easily  and  lose  nothing. 
If  you  run  away  when  you  see  danger,  you  can  come  back 
when  all  is  safe.     Run  quickly,  return  slowly,  hold  your  head 
liigh,  and  gabble  as  loud  as  you  can,  and  you'll  preserve  the 

35  respect  of  the  Goose  Green  to  a  peaceful  old  age. 


JACKANAPES  $1 

AVhy  should  you  struggle  and  get  hurt,  if  you  can  lower 
your  head  and  not  swerve,  and  not  lose  a  feather?  Why  in 
the  world  should  any  one  spoil  the  pleasure  of  life,  or  risk  his 
skin,  if  he  can  help  it  ? 

5  "'What's  the  use?» 

Said  the  Goose." 

Before  answering  which,  one  might  have  to  consider  what 
wor'd,  which  life,  and  whether  his  skin  were  a  goose-skin; 
but  the  Gray  Goose's  head  would  never  have  held  all  that. 

lo      Grass  soon  grows  over  footprints,  and  the  village  children 

took  the  oyster-shells  to  trim  their  gardens  with;    but  the 

year  after  Tony  rode  Bucephalus  there  lingered  another  relic 

of  Fair-time  in  which  Jackanapes  was  deeply  interested. 

''The  Green"  proper  was  originally  only  part  of  a  strag- 

15  gling  common,  which  in  its  turn  merged  into  some  wilder 
waste  land  where  gypsies  sometimes  squatted  if  the  authori- 
ties would  allow  them,  especially  after  the  annual  Fair.  And 
it  was  after  the  Fair  that  Jackanapes,  out  rambling  by  him- 
self, was  knocked  over  by  the  Gypsy's  son  riding  the  Gypsy's 

20  red-haired  pony  at  breakneck  pace  across  the  common. 

Jackanapes  got  up  and  shook  himself,  none  the  worse  ex- 
cept for  being  heels  over  head  in  love  with  the  red-haired 
pony.  What  a  rate  he  went  at !  How  he  spumed  the  ground 
with  his  nimble  feet!    How  his  red  coat  shone  in  the  sun- 

25  shine!  And  what  bright  eyes  peeped  out  of  his  dark  forelock 
as  it  was  blown  by  the  wind! 

The  Gypsy  boy  had  had  a  fright,  and  he  was  willing  enough 
to  reward  Jackanapes  for  not  having  been  hurt,  by  consenting 
to  let  him  have  a  ride. 

30  ''Do  you  mean  to  kill  the  little  fine  gentleman,  and  swing 
us  all  on  the  gallows,  you  rascal?"  screamed  the  Gypsy 
mother,  who  came  up  just  as  Jackanapes  and  the  pony  set 
off. 


52  STANDARD  CLASSIC  READER 

**He  would  get  on,"  replied  her  son.  "It'll  not  kill 
him.  He'll  fall  on  his  yellow  head,  and  it's  as  tough  as  a 
cocoanut." 

But  Jackanapes  did  not  fall.  He  stuck  to  the  red-haired 
5  pony,  as  he  had  stuck  to  the  hobby-horse;  but,  oh,  how 
different  the  delight  of  this  wild  gallop  with  flesh  and  blood! 
Just  as  his  legs  were  beginning  to  feel  as  if  he 'did  not  feel 
them,  the  Gypsy  boy  cried,  *'Lollo!"  Round  went  the  pony 
so  unceremoniously  that  with  as  little  ceremony  Jackanapes 
lo  clung  to  his  neck;  and  he  did  not  properly  recover  himself 
before  LoUo  stopped  with  a  jerk  at  the  place  where  they  had 
started. 

"Is  his  name  LoUo?"  asked  Jackanapes,  his  hand  linger- 
ing in  the  wiry  mane. 
15      "Yes." 

"What  does  LoUo  mean?" 

"Red." 

"Is  LoUo  your  pony?" 

"No.     My  father's."    And  the  Gypsy  boy  led  LoUo  away. 
20     At  the  first  opportunity  Jackanapes  stole  away  again  to 
the  common.     This  time  he  saw  the  Gypsy  father,  smoking 
a  dirty  pipe. 

"LoUo  is  your  pony,  isn't  he?"  said  Jackanapes. 

"Yes." 
25      "He's  a  very  nice  one." 

"He's  a  racer." 

"You  don't  want  to  sell  him,  do  you?" 

"Fifteen  pounds,"  said  the  Gypsy  father;  and  Jackanapes 
sighed  and  went  home  again.  That  very  afternoon  he  and 
30  Tony  rode  the  two  donkeys;  and  Tony  managed  to  get 
thrown,  and  even  Jackanapes'  donkey  kicked.  But  it  was 
jolting,  clumsy  work  after  the  elastic  swiftness  and  the  dainty 
mischief  of  the  red-haired  pony. 

A  few  days  later.  Miss  Jessamine  spoke  very  seriously  to 
35  Jackanapes.    She  was  a  good  deal  agitated  as  she  told  him 


JACKANAPES  53 

that  his  grandfather  the  General  was  cx)inmg  to  the  Green, 
and  that  he  must  be  on  his  very  best  behavior  during  the 
visit.  If  it  had  been  feasible  to  leave  off  calling  him  Jacka- 
napes and  to  get  used  to  his  baptismal  name  of  Theodore 
5  before  the  day  after  to-morrow  (when  the  General  was  due), 
it  would  have  been  satisfactory. 

But  Miss  Jessamine  feared  it  would  be  impossible  in  prac- 
tice, and  she  had  scruples  about  it  on  principle.  It  would 
not  seem  quite  truthful,  although  she  had  always  most  fully 

10  intended  that  he  should  be  called  Theodore  when  he  had  out- 
grown the  ridiculous  appropriateness  of  his  nickname.  The 
fact  was  that  he  had  not  outgrown  it,  but  he  must  take  care 
to  remember  who  was  meant  when  his  grandfather  said 
Theodore. 

15     Indeed,  for  that  matter,  he  must  take  care  all  along. 

"You  are  apt  to  be  giddy.  Jackanapes,"  said  Miss  Jessa- 
mine. 

*'Yes,  aunt,"  said  Jackanapes,  thinking  of  the  hobby- 
horses. 

20  "You  are  a  good  boy.  Jackanapes.  Thank  God,  I  can 
tell  your  grandfather  that.  An  obedient  boy,  an  honorable 
boy,  and  a  kind-hearted  boy.  But  you  are  —  in  short,  you 
are  a  Boy,  Jackanapes.  And  I  hope,"  added  Miss  Jessamine, 
desperate  with  the  result  of  experience,  "that  the  General 

25  knows  that  Boys  will  be  Boys." 

What  mischief  could  be  foreseen,  Jackanapes  promised 
to  guard  against.  He  was  to  keep  his  clothes  and  his  hands 
clean,  to  look  over  his  catechism,  not  to  put  sticky  things 
in  his  pockets,  to  keep  that  hair  of  his  smooth  (''It's  the  wind 

30  that  blows  it,  aunty,"  said  Jackanapes  —  "I'll  send  by  the 
coach  for  some  bear's-grease,"  said  Miss  Jessamine,  tying  a 
knot  in  her  pocket-handkerchief)  —  not  to  burst  in  at  the 
parlor  door,  not  to  talk  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  not  to  crumple 
his  Sunday  frill,  and  to  sit  quiet  during  the  sermon,  to  be  sure 

35  to  say  "sir"  to  the  General,  to  be  careful  about  rubbing  his 


54  STANDARD  CLASSIC  READER 

shoes  on  the  doormat  and  to  bring  his  lesson-books  to  his 
aunt  at  once  that  she  might  iron  down  the  dog's  ears. 

The  General  arrived;   and  for  the  first  day  all  went  well, 
except  that  Jackanapes'  hair  was  as  wild  as  usual,  for  the 
5  hair-dresser  had  no  bear's  grease  left.     He  began  to  feel 
more  at  ease  with  his  grandfather,  and  disposed  to  talk  con- 
fidentially with  him,  as  he  did  with  the  Postman. 

All  that  the  General  felt,  it  would  take  too  long  to  tell ;  but 
the  result  was  the  same.     He  was  disposed  to  talk  confiden- 
lo  tially  with  Jackanapes. 

^'Mons'ous  pretty  place  this,"  he  said,  looking  out  of  the 
lattice  on  to  the  Green,  where  the  grass  was  vivid  with  sunset 
and  the  shadows  were  long  and  peaceful. 

"You  should  see  it  in  Fair-week,  sir,"  said  Jackanapes, 
15  shaking  his  yellow  mop,  and  leaning  back  in  his  one  of  the 
two  Chippendale  arm-chairs  in  which  they  sat. 

"A  fine  time  that,  eh?"  said  the  General,  with  a  twinkle 
in  his  left  eye  (the  other  was  glass) . 

Jackanapes  shook  his  hair  once  more.     "I  enjoyed  this 
20  last  one  the  best  of  all,"  he  said.     "  I'd  so  much  money." 

''That's  not  a  common  complaint  in  these  bad  times.  How 
much  had  ye?" 

"I'd  two  shillings.    A  new  shilling  aunty  gave  me,  eleven- 
pence I  had  saved  up,  and  a  penny  from  the  Postman  —  5z>/" 
25  added  Jackanapes  with  a  jerk,  having  forgotten  it. 

"And  how  did  ye  spend  it  —  sir?^^  inquired  the  General. 

Jackanapes  spread  his  ten  fingers  on  the  arms  of  his  chair, 
and  shut  his  eyes  that  he  might  count  the  more  conscien- 
tiously. 
30  "Watch-stand  for  aunty,  three-pence.  Trumpet  for  my- 
self, two-pence;  that's  five-pence.  Gingernuts  for  Tony, 
two-pence,  and  a  mug  with  a  soldier  on  for  the  Postman, 
fourpence;  that's  elevenpence.  Shooting-gallery,  a  penny; 
that's  a  shilling.  Merry-go-round,  a  penny;  that's  one 
35  and  a  penny.    Treating  Tony,  one  and  twopence.     Flying 


JACKANAPES  55 

Boats  (Tony  paid  for  himself),  a  penny,  one  and  threepence. 
Shooting-gallery  again,  one  and  fourpence;  Fat  Woman,  a 
penny,  one  and  fivepence.  Merry-go-round  again,  one  and 
sixpence.  Shooting-gallery,  one  and  sevenpence.  Treat- 
5  ing  Tony,  and  then  he  wouldn't  shoot,  so  I  did,  one 
and  eightpence.  Living  Skeleton,  a  penny  —  no,  Tony 
treated  me,  the  Living  Skeleton  doesn't  count.  Nine- 
pins, a  penny,  one  and  ninepence.  Mermaid  (but  when  we 
got  inside  she  was  dead),  a  penny,  one  and  tenpence.  Theatre, 
lo  a  penny  (Priscilla  Partington,  or  the  Green  Lane  Murder. 
A  beautiful  young  lady,  sir,  with  pink  cheeks  and  a  real 
pistol);  that's  one  and  elevenpence.  Ginger  beer,  a  penny 
(I  was  so  thirsty!),  two  shillings.  And  then  the  Shooting- 
gallery  man  gave  me  a  turn  for  nothing,  because,  he  said, 
15  I  Was  a  real  gentleman,  and  spent  my  money  like  a  man." 

"So  you  do,  sir,  so  you  do!"  cried  the  General.  "Indeed, 
sir,  you  spent  it  like  a  prince.  And  now  I  suppose  you've 
not  got  a  penny  in  your  pocket?" 

"Yes,  I  have,"  said  Jackanapes.     "Two  pennies.     They 
20  are  saving  up."     And   Jackanapes  jingled   them  with  his 
hand. 

"You  don't  want  money  except  at  Fair-times,  I  suppose?" 
said  the  General. 

Jackanapes  shook  his  mop. 
25      ''  If  I  could  have  as  much  as  I  want,  I  should  know  what  to 
buy,"  said  he. 

"And  how  much  do  you  want,  if  you  could  get  it?" 

"Wait  a  minute,  sir,  till  I  think  what  twopence  from  fifteen 
pounds  leaves.  Two  from  nothing  you  can't,  but  borrow 
30  twelve.  Two  from  twelve,  ten,  and  carry  one.  Please 
remember,  ten,  sir,  when  I  ask  you.  One  from  nothing  you 
can't,  borrow  twenty.  One  from  twenty,  nineteen,  and  carry 
one.  One  from  fifteen,  fourteen.  Fourteen  pounds  nine- 
teen and  —  what  did  I  tell  you  to  remember?" 
35      "Ten,"  said  the  General. 


56  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

'.'Fourteen  pounds  nineteen  shillings  and  tenpence,  then,  is 
what  I  want,"  said  Jackanapes. 

"God  bless  my  soul!  what  for?" 

"To  buy  LoUo  with.  Lollo  means  red,  sir.  The  Gypsy's 
5  red-haired  pony,  sir.  Oh,  he  is  beautiful!  You  should  see 
his  coat  in  the  sunshine!  You  should  see  his  mane!  You 
should  see  his  tail!  Such  little  feet,  sir,  and  they  go  like 
lightning!  Such  a  dear  face,  too,  and  eyes  like  a  mouse! 
But  he's  a  racer,  and  the  Gypsy  wants  fifteen  pounds  for 
lo  him." 

"If  he's  a  racer,  you  couldn't  ride  him.     Could  you  ?" 

"No  —  o,  sir,  but  I  can  stick  to  him.     I  did  the  other 
day." 

"You  did!    Well,  I'm  fond  of  riding  myself;    and  if  the 
15  beast  is  as  good  as  you  say,  he  might  suit  me." 

"You're  too  tall  for  Lollo,   I  think,"   said   Jackanapes, 
measuring  his  grandfather  with  his  eyes. 

"I  can  double  up  my  legs,  I  suppose.     We'll  have  a  look 
at  him  to-morrow." 
20      "Don't  you  weigh  a  good  deal?"  asked  Jackanapes. 

"Chiefly  waistcoats,"  said  the  General,  slapping  the  breast 
of  his  military  frock  coat.     "We'll  have  the  little  racer  on  the 
Green  the  first  thing  in  the  morning.     Glad  you  mentioned 
it,  grandson;   glad  you  mentioned  it." 
25      The  General  was  as  good  as  his  word.     Next  morning  the 
Gypsy   and    Lollo,    Miss    Jessamine,    Jackanapes   and    his 
grandfather  and  his  dog  Spitfire,  were  all  gathered  at  one  end 
of  the  Green  in  a  group,  which  so  aroused  the  innocent  curios- 
ity of  Mrs.  Johnson,  as  she  saw  it  from  one  of  her  upper  win- 
3odows,  that  she  and  the  children  took  their  early  promenade 
rather  earlier  than  usual.     The  General  talked  to  the  Gypsy, 
and  Jackanapes  fondled  Lollo's  mane,  and  did  not  know 
whether  he  should  be  more  glad  or  miserable  if  his  grand- 
father bought  him. 
35     "  Jackanapes  1" 


JACKANAPES  57 

"Yes,  sir!" 

"I've  bought  Lollo,  but  I  believe  you  were  right.  He 
hardly  stands  high  enough  for  me.  If  you  can  ride  him  to  the 
other  end  of  the  Green,  I'll  give  him  to  you." 
5  How  Jackanapes  tumbled  on  to  LoUo's  back  he  never  knew. 
He  had  just  gathered  up  the  reins  when  the  Gypsy  father 
took  him  by  the  arm. 

"  If  you  want  to  make  Lollo  go  fast,  my  little  gentleman  — " 

"I  can  make  him  go!"  said  Jackanapes;  and  drawing  from 
lo  his  pocket  the  trumpet  he  had  bought  in  the  Fair,  he  blew  a 
blast  both  loud  and  shrill. 

Away  went  Lollo,  and  away  went  Jackanapes'  hat.  His 
golden  hair  flew  out,  an  aureole  from  which  his  cheeks  shone 
red  and  distended  with  trumpeting.  Away  went  Spitfire, 
15  mad  with  the  rapture  of  the  race  and  the  wind  in  his  silky  ears. 
Away  went  the  geese,  the  rooster,  the  hens,  and  the  whole 
family  of  Johnson.  Lucy  clung  to  her  mamma,  Jane  saved 
Emily  by  the  gathers  of  her  dress,  and  Tony  saved  himself 
by  a  somersault. 
2o  The  Gray  Goose  was  just  returning  when  Jackanapes  and 
Lollo  rode  back.  Spitfire  panting  behind. 

' '  Good ,  my  little  gentleman,  good ! ' '  said  the  Gypsy.     ' '  You 
were  born  to  the  saddle.     You've  the  flat  thigh,  the  strong 
knee,  the  wiry  back,  and  the  light  caressing  hand;    all  you 
25  want  is  to  learn  the  whisper.     Come  here!" 

"What  was  that  dirty  fellow  talking  about,  grandson?" 
asked  the  General. 

"I  can't  tell  you,  sir.     It's  a  secret." 

The  two  were  sitting  in  the  window  again,  in  the  Chippen- 
30  dale  arm-chairs,   the  General  devouring  every  line  of  his 
grandson's  face,  with  strange  spasms  crossing  his  own. 

"You  must  love  your  aunt  very  much.  Jackanapes?" 

"I  do,  sir,"  said  Jackanapes,  warmly. 

"And  whom  do  you  love  next  best  to  your  aunt?" 
35     The  ties  of  blood  were  pressing  very  strongly  on  the  General 


58-  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

himself,  and  perhaps  he  thought  of  LoUo.     But  love  is  not 
bought  in  a  day,  even  with  fourteen  pounds  nineteen  shillings 
and   tenpence.     Jackanapes  answered   quite    readily,  "The 
Postman." 
5      "Why  the  Postman?" 

"He  knew  my  father,"  said  Jackanapes,  "and  he  tells  .me 
about  him  and  about  his  black  mare.  My  father  was  a  sol- 
dier, a  brave  soldier.  He  died  at  Waterloo.  When  I  grow 
up  I  want  to  be  soldier,  too." 

lo      "So  you  shall  my  boy;  so  you  shall." 

"Thank  you,  grandfather.  Aunty  doesn't  want  me  to  be 
a  soldier,  for  fear  of  being  killed." 

"  Bless  my  life!  Would  she  have  you  get  into  a  feather-bed 
and  stay  there  ?     Why,  you  might  be  killed  by  a  thunderbolt 

15  if  you  were  a  butter  merchant!" 

"So  I  might.  I  shall  tell  her  so.  What  a  funny  fellow 
you  are,  sir!  I  say,  do  you  think  my  father  knew  the  Gypsy's 
secret?  The  Postman  says  he  used  to  whisper  to  his  black 
mare." 

20  "Your  father  was  taught  to  ride,  as  a  child,  by  one  of 
those  horsemen  of  the  East  who  swoop  and  dart  and  wheel 
about  a  plain  like  swallows  in  autumn.  Grandson!  love  me 
a  little  too.  I  can  tell  you  more  about  your  father  than  the 
Postman  can." 

25  "I  do  love  you,"  said  Jackanapes.  "Before  you  came  I 
was  frightened.     I'd  no  idea  you  were  so  nice." 

"Love  me  always,  boy,  whatever  I  do  or  leave  undone. 
And  —  God  help  me!  —  whatever  you  do  or  leave  undone, 
I'll  love  you.    There  shall  never  be  a  cloud  between  us  for  a 

30  day;  no,  sir,  not  for  an  hour.  We're  imperfect  enough,  all 
of  us  —  we  needn't  be  so  bitter ;  and  life  is  uncertain  enough 
at  its  safest  —  we  needn't  waste  its  opportunities.  God 
bless  my  soul!  Here  sit  I,  after  a  dozen  battles  and  some  of 
the  worst   climates   in  the  world,  and  by  yonder  lych  gate 

35  lies   your  mother,  who  didn't   move  live  miles,  I  suppose, 


JACKANAPES  59 

from  your  aunt's  apron-strings  —  dead  in  her  teens;  my 
golden-haired  daughter,  whom  I  never  saw!" 

Jackanapes  was  terribly  troubled. 

"Don't  cry,  grandfather,"  he  pleaded,  his  own  blue  eyes 
5  round  with  tears.  "I  will  love  you  very  much,  and  I  will 
try  to  be  very  good.     But  I  should  like  to  be  a  soldier." 

"You  shall,  my  boy;  you  shall.  You've  more  claims  for 
a  commission  than  you  know  of.  Cavalry,  I  suppose;  eh, 
ye  young  Jackanapes?  Well,  well;  if  you  live  to  be  an 
lo  honor  to  your  country,  this  old  heart  shall  grow  young  again 
with  pride  for  you;  and  if  you  die  in  the  service  of  your 
country  —  well,  sir,  it  can  but  break  for  you!" 

And  beating  the  region  which  he  said  was  all  waistcoats, 
as  if  they  stifled  him,  the  old  man  got  up  and  strode  out  on  to 
15  the  green. 

Chapter  IV 

Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this,  that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for 
his  friends.  —  John  xv.,  13. 

Twenty  and  odd  years  later  the  Gray  Goose  was  still  alive, 
and  in  full  possession  of  her  faculties,  such  as  they  were. 

20  She  lived  slowly  and  carefully,  and  she  lived  long.  So  did 
Miss  Jessamine;   but  the  General  was  dead. 

He  had  lived  on  the  Green  for  many  years,  during  which 
he  and  the  Postman  saluted  each  other  with  a  carefulness 
that  it  almost  drilled  one  to  witness.     He  would  have  com- 

25  pletely  spoiled  Jackanapes  if  Miss  Jessamine's  conscience 
would  have  let  him;  otherwise  he  was  somewhat  masterful 
with  his  neighbors,  and  was  as  positive  about  parish  matters 
as  a  ratepayer  about  the  army.  A  stormy-tempered,  tender- 
hearted soldier,  irritable  with  the  suffering  of  the  wounds 

30  of  which  he  never  spoke,  whom  all  the  village  followed  to 
his  grave  with  tears. 


6o  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

The  GeneraPs  death  was  a  great  shock  to  Miss  Jessamine, 
and  her  nephew  stayed  with  her  for  some  little  time  after 
the  funeral.  Then  he  was  obliged  to  join  his  regiment, 
which  was  ordered  abroad. 
5  One  effect  of  the  conquest  which  the  General  had  gained 
over  the  affections  of  the  village  was  a  considerable  abate- 
ment of  the  popular  prejudice  against  *'the  military."  In- 
deed, the  village  was  now  somewhat  importantly  represented 
in  the  army.     There  was  the  General  himself,  and  the  Post- 

lo  man,  and  the  Black  Captain's  tablet  in  the  church,  and  Jacka- 
napes, and  Tony  Johnson,  and  a  Trumpeter. 

Tony  Johnson  had  no  more  natural  taste  for  fighting  than 
for  riding,  but  he  was  as  devoted  as  ever  to  Jackanapes.  And 
that  was  how  it  came  about  that  Mr.  Johnson  bought  him  a 

15  commission  in  the  same  cavalry  regiment  that  the  General's 
grandson  (whose  commission  had  been  given  him  by  the  Iron 
Duke)  was  in;  and  that  he  was  quite  content  to  be  the  butt 
of  the  mess  where  Jackanapes  was  the  hero;  and  that  when 
Jackanapes  wrote   home  to  Miss    Jessamine,   Tony  wrote 

20  with  the  same  purpose  to  his  mother  —  namely,  to  demand 
her  congratulations  that  they  were  on  active  service  at  last 
and  were  ordered  to  the  front.  And  he  added  a  postscript, 
to  the  effect  that  she  could  have  no  idea  how  popular  Jacka- 
napes was,  nor  how  splendidly  he  rode  the  wonderful  red 

25  charger  which  he  had  named  after  his  old  friend  Lollo. 

''Sound  Retire!" 

A  Boy  Trumpeter,  grave  with  the  weight  of  responsibilities 
and  accoutrerfients  beyond  his  years,  and  stained  so  that  his 
own  mother  would  not  have  known  him,  with  the  sweat  and 
30 dust  of  battle,  did  as  he  was  bid;  and  then,  pushing  his 
trumpet  pettishly  aside,  adjusted  his  weary  legs  for  the  hun- 
dredth time  to  the  horse  which  was  a  world  too  big  for  him, 
and  muttering,  "  'Taint  a  pretty  tune,"  tried  to  see  something 
of  this  his  first  engagement  before  it  came  to  an  end. 


JACKANAPES  6i 

Being  literally  in  the  thick  of  it,  he  could  hardly  have  seen 
less  or  known  less  of  what  happened  in  that  particular  skir- 
mish if  he  had  been  at  home  in  England.  For  many  good 
reasons  —  including  dust  and  smoke,  and  that  what  attention 
5  he  dared  distract  from  his  commanding  officer  was  pretty 
well  absorbed  by  keeping  his  hard-mouthed  troop-horse 
in  hand,  under  pain  of  execration  by  his  neighbors  in  the 
skirmish. 

By  and  by,  when  the  newspapers  came  out,  if  he  could  get 

lo  a  look  at  one  before  it  was  thumbed  to  bits,  he  would  learn 
that  the  enemy  had  appeared  from  ambush  in  overwhelming 
numbers,  and  that  orders  had  been  given  to  fall  back,  which 
was  done  slowly  and  in  good  order,  the  men  fighting  as  they 
retired. 

15  Bom  and  bred  on  the  Goose  Green,  the  youngest  of  Mrs. 
Johnson's  gardener's  numerous  offspring,  the  boy  had  given 
his  family  "no  peace"  till  they  let  him  "go  for  a  soldier" 
with  Master  Tony  and  Master  Jackanapes.  They  consented 
at  last,  with  more  tears  than  they  shed  when  an  elder  son  was 

20  sent  to  jail  for  poaching;  and  the  boy  was  perfectly  happy  in 
his  life,  and  full  of  esprit  de  corps.  It  was  this  which  had  been 
wounded  by  having  to  sound  retreat  for  "the  young  gentle- 
men's regiment,"  the  first  time  he  served  with  it  before  the 
enemy;   and  he  was  also  harassed  by  having  completely  lost 

25  sight  of  Master  Tony.  i 

There  had  been  some  hard  fighting  before  the  backward 
movement  began,  and  he  had  caught  sight  of  him-  once,  but 
not  since.  On  the  other  hand,  all  the  pulses  of  his  village 
pride  had  been  stirred  by  one  or  two  visions  of  Master  Jacka- 

30  napes  whirling  about  on  his  wonderful  horse.  He  had  been 
easy  to  distinguish,  since  a  chance  blow  had  bared  his  head 
without  hurting  it ;  for  his  close  golden  mop  of  hair  gleamed 
in  the  hot  sunshine  as  brightly  as  the  steel  of  the  sword 
flashing  round  it. 

35      Of  the  missiles  that  fell  pretty  thickly,  the  Boy  Trumpeter 


62  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

did  not  take  much  notice.  First,  one  can't  attend  to  every- 
thing, and  his  hands  were  full;  secondly,  one  gets  used  to 
anything;  thirdly,  experience  soon  teaches  one,  in  spite  of 
proverbs,  hov^  very  few  bullets  find  their  billet.  Far  more 
5  unnerving  is  the  mere  suspicion  of  fear  or  even  of  anxiety  in 
the  human  mass  around  you. 

The  Boy  was  beginning  to  wonder  if  there  were  any  dark 
reason  for  the  increasing  pressure,  and  whether  they  wouki 
be  allowed  to  move  back  more  quickly,  when  the  smoke  in 

lo  front  lifted  for  a  moment,  and  he  could  see  the  plain,  and  the 
enemy's  line  some  two  hundred  yards  away.  And  across 
the  plain  between  them,  he  saw  Master  Jackanapes  galloping 
alone  at  the  top  of  Lollo's  speed,  their  faces  to  the  enemy, 
his  golden  head  at  Lollo's  ear. 

15      But  at  this  moment  noise  and  smoke  seemed  to  burst  out 

on  every  side;   the  officer  shouted  to  him  to  sound  Retire! 

and  between  trumpeting  and  bumping  about  on  his  horse, 

he  saw  and  heard  no  more  of  the  incidents  of  his  first  battle. 

Tony  Johnson  was  always  unlucky  with  horses,  from  the 

20  days  of  the  merry-go-round  onwards.  On  this  day  —  of  all 
days  in  the  year  —  his  own  horse  was  on  the  sick  list,  and 
he  had  to  ride  an  inferior,  ill-conditioned  beast,  and  fell  off 
that,  at  the  very  moment  when  it  was  a  matter  of  life  and 
death  to  be  able  to  ride  away.     The  horse  fell  on  him,  but 

25  struggled  up  again,  and  Tony  managed  to  keep  hold  of  it. 
It  was  in  trying  to  remount  that  he  discovered,  by  help- 
lessness and  anguish,  that  one  of  his  legs  was  crushed  and 
broken,  and  that  no  feat  of  which  he  was  master  would  get 
him  into  the  saddle.     Not  able  even  to  stand  alone,  awk- 

30  wardly,  agonizingly,  unable  to  mount  his  restive  horse,  his 
life  was  yet  so  strong  within  him!  And  on  one  side  of  him 
rolled  the  dust  and  cloud -smoke  of  his  advancing  foes,  and  on 
the  other,  that  which  covered  his  retreating  friends. 

He  turned  one  piteous  gaze  after  them,  with  a  bitter  twinge, 

35  not  of  reproach,  but  of  loneliness;  and  then,  dragging  himself 


JACKANAPES  63 

up  by  the  side  of  his  horse,  he  turned  the  other  way  and  drew 
out  his  pistol,  and  waited  for  the  end.  Whether  he  waited 
seconds  or  minutes  he  never  knew,  before  someone  gripped 
him  by  the  arm. 
5  ''Jackanapes!  God  bless  you!  It's  my  left  leg.  If  you 
could  get  me  on  — " 

It  was  like  Tony's  luck  that  his  pistol  went  off  at  his  horse's 
tail,  and  made  it  plunge;  but  Jackanapes  threw  him  across 
the  saddle. 

10      "Hold  on  anyhow,  and  stick  your  spur  in.     I'll  lead  him. 
Keep  your  head  down;  they're  firing  high." 
And  Jackanapes  laid  his  head  down  —  to  LoUo's  ear. 
It  was  when  they  were  fairly  off,  that  a  sudden  upspring- 
ing  of  the  enemy  in  all  directions  had  made  it  necessary  to 

15  change  the  gradual  retirement  of  our  force  into  as  rapid  a 
retreat  as  possible.  And  when  Jackanapes  became  aware 
of  this,  and  felt  the  lagging  and  swerving  of  Tony's  horse,  he 
began  to  wish  he  had  thrown  his  friend  across  his  own  saddle 
and  left  their  lives  to  LoUo. 

20  When  Tony  became  aware  of  it,  several  things  came  into 
his  head;  i  That  the  dangers  of  their  ride  for  life  were 
now  more  than  doubled;  2  That  if  Jackanapes  and  Lollo 
were  not  burdened  with  him  they  would  undoubtedly  es- 
cape;  3    That  Jackanapes'  life  was  infinitely  valuable  and 

25  his  —  Tony's  —  was  not;  4    That  this,  if  he  could  seize  it, 
was  the  supremest  of  all  the  moments  in  which  he  had  tried 
to   assume  the  virtues  which   Jackanapes  had   by  nature; 
and  that  if  he  could  be  courageous  and  unselfish  now  — 
He  caught  at  his  own  reins  and  spoke  very  loud  — 

30  "Jackanapes I  It  won't  do.  You  and  Lollo  must  go  on. 
Tell  the  fellows  I  gave  you  back  to  them  with  all  my  heart. 
Jackanapes,  if  you  love  me,  leave  me!" 

There  was  a  daffodil  light  over  the  evening  sky  in  front  of 
them,  and  it  shone  strangely  on  Jackanapes'  hair  and  face. 

35  He  turned  with  an  odd  look  in  his  eyes  that  a  vainer  man  than 


64  STANDARD  CLASSIC  READER 

Tony  Johnson  might  have  taken  for  brotherly  pride.    Then 
he  shook  his  mop,  and  laughed  at  him. 

''Leave  you?  To  save  my  skin?  No,  Tony,  not  to  save 
my  soul!" 

Chapter  V 

5  Mr.  Valiant  summoned.    His  Will.    His  last  Words. 

Then  said  he,  "I  am  going  to  my  Fathers.  .  .  .  My  Sword  I 
give  to  him  that  shall  succeed  me  in  my  pilgrimage,  and  my  Courage 
and  Skill  to  him  that  can  get  it."  .  .  .  And  as  he  went  down  deeper, 
he  said,  "Grave,  where  is  thy  Victory?" 
lo  So  he  passed  over,  and  all  the  Trumpets  sounded  for  him  on  the  other 
side.  —  Bunyan,  Pilgrim's  Progress 

Coming  out  of  a  hospital  tent,  at  headquarters,  the  sur- 
geon bumped  against,  and  rebounded  from,  another  officer 
—  a   sallow   man,  not  young,  with  a  face   worn   more  by 

15  ungentle  experiences  than  by  age,  with  weary  eyes  that  kept 
their  own  counsel,  iron-gray  hair,  and  a  mustache  that  was 
as  if  a  raven  had  laid  its  wings  across  his  lips  and  sealed 
them. 
"V^ell?" 

20      "Beg  pardon.  Major.     Didn't  see  you.     Oh,  compound 
fracture  and  bruises.     But  it's  all  right;  he'll  pull  through." 
''Thank  God." 

It  was  probably  an  involuntary  expression;  for  prayer  and 
praise  were  not  much  in  the  Major's  line,  as  a  jerk  of  the  sur- 

25  geon's  head  would  have  betrayed  to  an  observer.  He  was 
a  bright  little  man,  with  his  feelings  showing  all  over  him, 
but  with  gallantry  and  contempt  of  death  for  both  sides  of  his 
profession;  who  took  a  cool  head,  a  white  handkerchief, 
and  a  case  of  instruments,  where  other  men  went  hot-blooded 

30  with  weapons,  and  who  was  the  biggest  gossip,  male  or  fe- 
male, of  the  regiment.  Not  even  the  Major's  taciturnity 
daunted  him. 


JACKANAPES  65 

"Didn't  think  he'd  as  much  pluck  about  him  as  he  has. 
He'll  do  all  right  if  he  doesn't  fret  himself  into  a  fever  about 
poor  Jackanapes." 

*'Whom    are   you    talking    about?"    asked    the    Major, 
5  hoarsely. 

"Young  Johnson.     He — " 

"What  about  Jackanapes?" 

"Don't  you  know?     Sad  business.     Rode  back  for  John- 
son, and  brought  him  in;  but  monstrous  ill-luck,  hit  as  they 
10  rode.     Left  lung — " 

"Will  he  recover?" 

"No.  Sad  business.  What  a  frame  —  what  limbs  — 
and  what  good  looks!    Finest  young  fellow — " 

"Where  is  he?" 
15      In  his  own  tent,"  said  the  surgeon,  sadly. 

The  Major  wheeled  and  left  him. 

"Can  I  do  anything  else  for  you ?" 

"Nothing,    thank    you.     Except  —  Major!         I    wish    I 
20  could  get  you  to  appreciate  Johnson." 

"This  is  not  an  easy  moment.  Jackanapes." 
"Let  me  tell  you,  sir  —  he  never  will  —  that  if  he  could 
have  driven  me  from  him,  he  would  be  lying  yonder  at  this 
moment,  and  I  should  be  safe  and  sound." 
25      The  Major  laid  his  hand  over  his  mouth,  as  if  to  keep  back 
a  wish  he  would  have  been  ashamed  to  utter. 

"I've  known  old  Tony  from  a  child.  He's  a  fool  on  im- 
pulse, a  good  man  and  a  gentleman  in  principle.  And  he 
acts  on  principle,  which  it's  not  every  —  Some  water,  please! 
30  Thank  you,  sir.  It's  very  hot  and  yet  one's  feet  get  uncom- 
monly cold.  Oh,  thank  you,  thank  you.  He's  no  fire- 
eater,  but  he  has  a  trained  conscience  and  a  tender  heart, 
and  he'll  do  his  duty  when  a  braver  and  more  selfish  man 
might  fail  you.  But  he  wants  encouragement;  and  when 
35  I'm  gone — " 


66  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

*'He  shall  have  encouragement.     You  have  my  word  for 
it.     Can  I  do  nothing  else?" 

''Yes,  Major.     A  favor." 

"Thank  you,  Jackanapes.". 
5      "Be  LoUo's  master,  and  love  him  as  well  as  you  can.     He's 
used  to  it." 

''Wouldn't  you  rather  Johnson  had  him?" 

The  blue  eyes  twinkled  in  spite  of  mortal  pain. 

"Tony  rides  on  principle.  Major.    His  legs  are  bolsters, 
lo  and  will  be  to  the  end  of  the  chapter.     I  couldn't  insult  dear 
Lollo;   but  if  you  don't  care — " 

"While  I  live  —  which  will  be  longer  than  I  desire  or  de- 
serve —  Lollo  shall  want  nothing  but  —  you.     I  have  too 
little  tenderness  for  —     My  dear  boy,  you're  faint.     Can  you 
15  spare  me  for  a  moment?" 

"No,  stay—     Major!" 

"What?    What?" 

"My  head  drifts  so  —  if  you  wouldn't  mind." 

"Yes!    Yes!" 
20      "Say  a  prayer  by  me.     Out  loud,  please;    I  am  getting 
deaf." 

"My  dearest  Jackanapes  —  my  dear  boy — " 

"One   of   the    Church    Prayers  —  Parade    Service,    you 
know  — " 
25      ''I  see.     But  the  fact  is  —  God  forgive  me.  Jackanapes! 
—  I'm  a  very  different  sort  of  fellow  .to  some  of  you  youngsters. 
Look  here,  let  me  fetch  — " 

But  Jackanapes'  hand  was  in  his,  and  it  would  not  let  gp. 

There  was  a  brief  and  bitter  silence. 
30      "  'Pon  my  soul,  I  can  only  remember  the  little  one  at  the 
end." 

"Please,"  whispered  Jackanapes. 

Pressed  by  the  conviction  that  what  little  he  could  do  it 
was  his  duty  to  do,  the  Major,  kneeling,  bared  his  head, 
35  and  spoke  loudly,  clearly,  and  very  reverently  — 


JACKANAPES  67 

"The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  — " 
Jackanapes  moved  his  left  hand  to  his  right  one,  which 
still  held  the  Major's  — 
"The  love  of  God—" 
And  with  that  —  Jackanapes  died. 


Chapter  VI 

Und  so  ist  der  blaue  Himmel  grosser  ais  jedes  Gewolk  darin,  und 
dauerhafter  dazu.  —  Jean  Paul  Richter. 

Jackanapes'  death  was  sad  news  for  the  Goose  Green,  a 
sorrow  just  qualified  by  honorable  pride  in  his  gallantry  and 

10  devotion.  Only  the  Cobbler  dissented ;  but  that  was  his 
way.  He  said  he  saw  nothing  in  it  but  foolhardiness  and 
vainglory.  They  might  both  have  been  killed,  as  easy  as 
not;  and  then  where  would  ye  have  been?  A  man's  life 
was  a  man's  life,  and  one  life  was  as  good  as  another.     No 

15  one  would  catch  him  throwing  his  away.  And,  for  that  mat- 
ter, Mrs.  Johnson  could  spare  a  child  a  great  deal  better  than 
Miss  Jessamine. 

But  the  parson  preached  Jackanapes'  funeral  sermon  on 
the  text,  ''Whosoever  will  save  his  life  shall  lose  it,  and  who- 

20  soever  will  lose  his  life  for  my  sake  shall  find  it,"  and  all  the 
village  went  and  wept  to  hear  him. 

Nor  did  Miss  Jessamine  see  her  loss  from  the  Cobbler's 
point  of  view.  On  the  contrary,  Mrs.  Johnson  said  she 
never  to  her  dying  day  should  forget  how,  when  she  went  to 

25  condole  with  her,  the  old  Lady  came  forward,  with  gentle- 
womanly  self-control,  and  kissed  her,  and  thanked  God  that 
her.dear  nephew's  effort  had  been  blessed  with  success,  and 
that  this  sad  war  had  made  no  gap  in  her  friend's  large  and 
happy  home-circle. 

30  "But  she's  a  noble,  unselfish  woman,"  sobbed  Mrs.  John- 
son, "and  she  taught  Jackanapes  to  be  the  same;  and  that's 


68  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

how  it  is  that  my  Tony  has  been  spared  to  me.  And  it  must 
be  sheer  goodness  in  Miss  Jessamine,  for  what  can  she  know 
of  a  mother's  feelings?  And  I'm  sure  most  people  seem  to 
think  that  if  you've  a  large  family  you  don't  know  one  from 
5  another  any  more  than  they  do,  and  that  a  lot  of  children 
are  like  a  lot  of  store  apples  —  if  one's  taken  it  won't  be 
missed." 

LoUo  —  the  first  LoUo,  the  Gypsy's  Lollo  —  very  aged, 
draws  Miss  Jessamine's  bath- chair  slowly  up  and  down  the 

lo  Goose  Green  in  the  sunshine. 

The  ex-Postman  walks  beside  him,  which  Lollo  tolerates 
to  the  level  of  his  shoulder.  If  the  Postman  advances  any 
nearer  to  his  head,  Lollo  quickens  his  pace;  and  were  the 
Postman  to  persist  in  the  injudicious  attempt,  there  is,  as  Miss 

15  Jessamine  says,  no  knowing  what  might  happen. 

In  the  opinion  of  the  Goose  Green,  Miss  Jessamine  has  borne 
her  troubles  "wonderfully."  Indeed,  to-day,  some  of  the 
less  delicate  and  less  intimate  of  those  who  see  everything 
from  the  upper  windows  say  (well,  behind  her  back)  that  "the 

20  old  lady  seems  quite  Hvely  with  her  military  admirers  again." 

The  meaning  of  this  is,  that  Captain  Johnson  is  leaning 

over  one  side  of  her  chair,  while  by  the  other  bends  a  brother 

officer  who  is  staying  with  him,  and  who  has  manifested  an 

extraordinary  interest  in  Lollo.    He  bends  lower  and  lower, 

25  and  Miss  Jessamine  calls  to  the  Postman  to  request  Lollo 
to  be  kind  enough  to  stop,  while  she  is  fumbling  for  some- 
thing which  always  hangs  by  her  side,  and  has  got  entangled 
with  her  spectacles. 
It  is  a  twopenny  trumpet,  bought  years  ago  in  the  village 

30  fair;  and  over  it  she  and  Captain  Johnson  tell,  as  best  they 
can,  between  them,  the  story  of  Jackanapes'  ride  across  Goose 
Green;  and  how  he  won  Lollo  —  the  Gypsy's  Lollo  —  the 
racer  Lollo  —  dear  Lollo  —  faithful  Lollo  —  Lollo  the  never 
vanquished  —  Lollo  the  tender  servant  of  his  old  mistress. 

35  And  Lollo's  ears  twitch  at  every  mention  of  his  name. 


JACKANAPES  69 

Their  hearer  does  not  speak,  but  he  never  moves  his  eyes 
from  the  trumpet;  and  when  the  tale  is  told,  he  lifts  Miss 
Jessamine's  hand  and  presses  his  heavy  black  mustache  in 
silence  to  her  trembling  fingers. 
S  The  sun,  setting  gently  to  his  rest,  embroiders  the  sombre 
foliage  of  the  oak  tree  with  threads  of  gold.  The  Gray  Goose 
is  sensible  of  an  atmosphere  of  repose,  and  puts  up  one  leg 
for  the  night.  The  grass  glows  with  a  more  vivid  green,  and 
in  answer  to  a  ringing  call  from  Tony,  his  sisters,  fluttering 
10  over  the  daisies  in  pale-hued  muslins,  come  out  of  their 
ever-open  door,  like  pretty  pigeons  from  a  dovecote. 

And  if  the  good  gossips'  eyes  do  not  deceive  them,  all  the 
Miss  Johnsons  and  both  the  officers  go  wandering  off  into  the 
the  lanes,  where  bryony  wreaths  still  twine  about  the  brambles. 

IS      A  sorrowful  story,  and  ending  badly? 
Nay,  Jackanapes,  for  the  End  is  not  yet. 
A  life  wasted  that  might  have  been  useful  ? 
Men  who  have  died  for  men,  in  all  ages,  forgive  the  thought ! 
There  is  a  heritage  of  heroic  example  and  noble  obligation, 
20  not  reckoned  in  the  Wealth  of  Nations,  but  essential  to  a 
nation's  life;    the  contempt  of  which,  in  any  people,  may, 
not  slowly,  mean  even  its  commercial  fall. 

Very  sweet  are  the  uses  of  prosperity,  the  harvests  of  peace 
and  progress,  the  fostering  sunshine  of  health  and  happiness, 
25  and  length  of  days  in  the  land. 

But  there  be  things  —  oh,  sons  of  what  has  deserved  the 
name  of  Great  Britain,  forget  it  not!  "the  good  of"  which 
and  "the  use  of"  which  are  beyond  all  calculation  of  worldly 
goods  and  earthly  uses:  things  such  as  Love,  and  Honor, 
30  and  the  Soul  of  Man,  which  cannot  be  bought  with  a  price, 
and  which  do  not  die  with  death.  And  they  who  would  fain 
live  happily  ever  after  should  not  leave  these  things  out  of  the 
lessons  of  their  lives. 


STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 


NOTES 


37:1  Last  noon,  etc.  From  "Childe  Harold,"  a  poem  by  Lord 
Byron,  an  English  poet,  1 788-1824. 

38:  7     Martinmas.     The  feast  of  St.  Martin,  November  11. 

38:  9  Flodden  Field.  The  name  of  a  battle  at  which  the  English 
defeated  the  Scotch  in  1513.     Sir  Walter  Scott  tells  of  it  in  "Marmion." 

38:  17     Computation.     The  act  of  counting  or  reckoning. 

38:  18  Michaelmas.  The  Feast  of  St.  Michael  and  All  Angels, 
September  29. 

38:  33  Wrecked  the  baker^s  shops,  etc.  In  England,  between  the 
years  181 1  and  181 5,  there  were  many  riots,  owing  to  wheat  being  sold 
at  a  high  price,  while  wages  were  low. 

39:  10  Goose-step.  A  military  term.  Marking  time  by  raising  the 
feet  one  after  the  other  without  making  any  progress. 

39:11  Bony.  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  Emperor  of  France.  He  had 
planned  to  invade  England. 

39: 34  Gentleman  of  the  Road.  A  highway  robber.  The  one 
meant  here  is  probably  Dick  Turpin,  who,  according  to  a  popular  ac- 
count, took  a  famous  ride  to  York  on  his  mare,  ''Black  Bess." 

40: 12  Nankeen  skeleton  suit.  Nankeen,  was  a  cotton  cloth  made 
in  Nankin,  China.  The  skeleton  suit  consisted  of  a  short  jacket  and 
trousers,  the  trousers  being  buttoned  on  to  the  jacket. 

40:  17     Accoutrements.     Pouches,  belts,  etc.,  of  a  soldier. 

41 :  9     *^ Black  ivory. ''^     Negroes  from  Africa,  who  were  sold  as  slaves. 

42:  14  Gretna  Green.  A  village  in  Scotland  just  over  the  border  of 
England,  noted  for  the  runaway  marriages  that  took  place  there. 

42 :  26    Bryony.     A  climbing  plant;  wild  hop-vine. 

43: 3    Sabre-tache.     Sword  pocket. 

43:  16    George  and  Dragon.    The  name  of  the  village  inn. 

43: 17  Mail  coach.  At  the  time  of  the  Battle  of  Waterloo,  the 
coaches  used  for  carrying  the  mail  traveled  about  fifteen  miles  an  hour. 
Nowadays  an  express  train  easily  makes  sixty  miles  an  hour.  In  "The 
English  Mail  Coach,"  De  Quincey  says:  "The  grandest  chapter  of  our 
experience,  within  the  whole  Mail -Coach  service,  was  on  those  occasions 
when  we  went  down  from  London  with  the  news  of  Victory.  Five  years 
of  life  it  was  worth  paying  down  for  the  privilege  of  an  outside  place." 

43: 18     Laurel  wreath.     The  laurel  is  the  sign  of  victory. 

44:  25  Duke  of  Brunswick.  Frederick  William.  He  was  bom  at 
Brunswick,  October  9,  1771,  and  fell  at  Quatrebras,  Belgium,  June  16, 
181 5,  the  day  before  the  Battle  of  Waterloo;  but  this  first  and  very 
imperfect  list,  as  it  appeared  in  the  newspapers,  did  begin  with  the  name 
of  "Brunswick's  fated  chieftain,"  and  ended  with  that  of  Ensign  Brown. 


NOTES  71 

45:6  And  he,  etc.  From  ''The  Fiftieth  Birthday  of  Agassiz,"  by 
Longfellow. 

47:  I  //  studious,  etc.  From  "The  Church  Porch,"  by  George 
Herbert,  an  English  poet,  1593-1633. 

47:  15  Antimacassars.  ''Tidies"  used  on  the  backs  of  chairs, 
sofas,  etc.  They  served  as  a  protection  from  Macassar  oil,  a  hair-oil 
composed  of  a  mixture  of  castor  and  olive  oils. 

48:  34    Paradox.     That  which  seems  absurd,  but  is  really  true. 

49:  18  Bucephalus.  The  favorite  horse  of  Alexander  the  Great» 
which  none  but  he  could  ride.  The  horse  in  the  merry-go-round  easiest 
to  ride  was  sometimes  so  called  for  fun. 

49:  25     Treaclestick.     A  stick  of  molasses  candy. 

50:  5  Two  sweets  and  a  ginger  beer.  Booths  where  candy  and  ginger 
beer  were  sold. 

50:  15     Qualms.     A  sudden  fit  of  sickness,  especially  at  the  stomach. 

53:  31  Bear' s-grease.  The  fat  or  oil  of  the  bear  was  used  at  that  time 
for  the  hair. 

54:  16  Chippendale.  A  style  of  drawing-room  furniture,  made  by 
Thomas  Chippendale,  a  celebrate  designer  of  furniture  in  the  eighteenth 
century. 

57:  13  Aureole.  The  rays  of  light,  seen  in  paintings,  surrounding 
the  body  and  head  of  Christ  and  the  saints. 

58:  34  Lych  gate.  A  gate  covered  by  a  roof,  often  seen  in  English 
church-yards. 

59:  28    Ratepayer.    A  taxpayer. 

60:  16  Iron  Duke.  The  Duke  of  Wellington,  a  famous  British 
general  and  statesman.  He  won  the  victory  at  Waterloo,  and  in  1827,  was 
made  commander-in-chief  of  the  army. 

61:  7    Execration.     Cursing. 

61 :  21  Esprit  de  corps.  The  common  spirit  among  men  in  the  army 
or  navy;   pride,  loyalty. 

62:4  Billet.  Mark.  This  is  a  reference  to  the  old  proverb,  "  Every 
bullet  has  its  billet." 

64:  II  Bunyan.  John  Bunyan,  bom  in  England  in  1628  and  died 
in  1688.  He  was  imprisoned  on  account  of  his  religious  views,  and 
while  in  prison  wrote  "Pilgrim's  Progress." 

64:  31     Taciturnity.     Silence;  no  inclination  to  talk. 

67:  6  Und  so,  etc.  The  blue  sky  is  both  greater  and  more  en- 
during than  any  cloud  within  it. 

67:  7    Jean  Paul  Richter.     A  German  writer,  bom  1763;    died  1825. 

69:  26     Things.     The  things  that  are  seen  are  temporal. 

—  II.  Corinthians,  iv.,  18. 


THE   VOICE    OF    SPRING 
MARY   HOWITT 

Mary  (Botham)  Howitt  was  born  at  Uttoxeter,  England,  about  1804. 
In  1823,  she  was  married  to  William  Howitt,  a  poet  and  author,  and 
whose  family,  like  her  own,  were  Quakers.     She  died  in  i888. 

I  am  coming,  little  maiden, 
With  the  pleasant  sunshine  laden; 
With  the  honey  for  the  bee; 
With  the  blossom  for  the  tree; 
5  With  the  flower  and  with  the  leaf; 

Till  I  come  the  time  is  brief. 

I  am  coming,  I  am  coming! 
Hark!  the  little  bee  is  humming; 
See!  the  lark  is  soaring  high 
10  In  the  bright  and  sunny  sky, 

And  the  gnats  are  on  the  wing: 
Little  maiden,  now  is  spring. 

See  the  yellow  catkins  cover 
All  the  slender  willows  over; 
15  And  on  mossy  banks  so  green 

Starlike  primroses  are  seen; 
Every  little  stream  is  bright; 
All  the  orchard  trees  are  white. 

Hark!   the  little  lambs  are  bleating, 
20  And  the  cawing  rooks  are  meeting 

In  the  elms  —  a  noisy  crowd; 
And  all  birds  are  singing  loud;        ^ 
And  the  first  white  butterfly 
In  the  sun  goes  flitting  by. 
72 


UNDER  THE  GREENWOOD  TREE         73 

25  Turn  thy  eyes  to  earth  and  heaven; 

God  for  thee  the  spring  has  given, 

Taught  the  birds  their  melodies, 

Clothed  the  earth  and  cleared  the  skies 

For  thy  pleasure  or  thy  food  — 
30  Pour  thy  soul  in  gratitude. 


UNDER  THE  GREENWOOD  TREE 
WILLIAM  SHAKESPEARE 

William  Shakespeare,  the  most  famous  of  EngHsh  poets  and  drama- 
tists, was  bom  at  Stratford -on -Avon,  England,  in  April,  1526.  About  the 
year  1587,  he  went  to  London  to  seek  his  fortune,  and  became  an  actor. 
He  wrote  some  of  the  plays  acted  by  his  own  company,  and  in  a  few 
years  had  attained  fame  as  a  play-writer  and  poet.  He  died  at  Stratford- 
on-Avon,  April  23,  1616. 

Under  the  greenwood  tree 
Who  loves  to  lie  with  me, 
And  tune  his  merry  note 
Unto  the  sweet  bird's  throat  — 
5  Come  hither,  come  hither,  come  hither! 

Here  shall  he  see 
No  enemy 
But  winter  and  rough  weather. 

Who  doth  ambition  shun, 
10  And  loves  to  live  i'  the  sun, 

Seeking  the  food  he  eats, 
And  pleased  with  what  he  gets  — 
Come  hither,  come  hither,  come  hither! 
Here  shall  he  see 
15  No  enemy 

But  winter  and  rough  weather. 


ABOU  BEN  ADHEM 


LEIGH  HUNT 


James  Henry  Leigh  Hunt,  an  English  writer,  was  bom  at  Southgate, 
near  London,  October  19,  1784.  He  is  best  known  from  his  poems 
and  essays,  among  the  former  being  several  translations,  which  are  the 
best  in  the  English  language.  In  his  essays  he  is  always  cheerful,  con- 
stantly looking  on  the  bright  side  of  things.  Though  the  sky  be  gloomy, 
he  searches  for  the  bit  of  blue  that  may  be  in  it.  He  died  at  Putney, 
near  London,  August  28,  1859. 

Abou  Ben  Adhem  (may  his  tribe  increase) ! 

Awoke  one  night  from  a  deep  dream  of  peace, 

And  saw,  within  the  moonlight  in  his  room, 

Making  it  rich  and  like  a  lily  in  bloom, 
5     An  angel  writing  in  a  book  of  gold ; 

Exceeding  peace  had  made  Ben  Adhem  bold. 

And  to  the  presence  in  the  room  he  said, 
''What  writ  est  thou?"     The  vision  raised  its  head. 

And,  with  a  look  made  of  all  sweet  accord, 
10     Answered,  "The  names  of  those  who  love  the  Lord." 
''And  is  mine  one?"  said  Abou.     "Nay,  not  so," 

Replied  the  angel.    Abou  spoke  more  low, 

But  cheerly  still;  and  said,  "I  pray  thee,  then. 

Write  me  as  one  who  loves  his  fellow-men." 

15     The  angel  wrote,  and  vanished.     The  next  night 
It  came  again,  with  a  great  wakening  light, 
And  showed  the  names  of  those  whom  love  of  God  had  blest ; 
And,  lo!   Ben  Adhem's  name  led  all  the  rest. 


74 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA 

HENRY  WADSWORTH  LONGFELLOW 

Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow  was  bom  at  Portland,  Maine,  Febru- 
ary 27,  1807.  At  the  age  of  fourteen,  he  entered  Bowdoin  College, 
where  he  studied  for  four  years  and  took  his  degree  with  high  honors  in 
1825.  His  strong  preference  for  a  literary  career  soon  showed  itself, 
and  having  been  offered  the  newly-established  professorship  of  languages 
in  Bowdoin  College,  for  the  purpose  of  qualifying  himself  for  the  post, 
he  visited  Europe,  and  spent  three  and  a  half  years  traveling  in  France, 
Spain,  Italy,  Germany,  Holland,  and  England,  studying  the  languages 
and  literature  of  those  countries.  In  1829,  he  returned  to  America, 
and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  professorship.  In  1835,  he  was 
appointed  to  the  professorship  of  modem  languages  and  belles-lettres  in 
Harvard  College,  resigning  in  1854.     He  died  March  24,  1882. 

Longfellow  is  not  one  of  the  great  poets  of  literature.  He  wrote 
musical,  quiet  verse  that  dignified  common  affairs  and  made  him  popular 
both  here  and  in  England.  He  was  a  man  well  loved  by  all  who  knew 
him,  doing  much  good  in  a  quiet  way  and  making  a  wonderful  teacher; 
and  his  poetry  is  unemotional,  unquestioning,  over-looking  instead  of 
solving  the  hard  things  in  life. 

"Hiawatha,"  which  is,  perhaps,  the  most  original  of  all  Longfellow's 
poems,  was  published  in  1855.  The  meter  is  often  called  unsuited  to  the 
English  language;  but  read  without  over-emphasis  on  the  rhythm  of 
the  individual  lines,  the  meter  suits  the  simple,  straightforward  narrative 
of  the  old  Indian  legends. 

INTRODUCTION 

Should  you  ask  me,  v/hence  these  stories  ? 
Whence  these  legends,  and  traditions. 
With  the  odors  of  the  forest. 
With  the  dew  and  damp  of  meadows, 
;  With  the  curling  smoke  of  wigwams. 

With  the  rushing  of  great  rivers, 
With  their  frequent  repetitions. 
And  their  wild  reverberations. 
As  of  thunder  in  the  mountains  ? 
I  should  answer,  I  should  tell  you, 

75 


76  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

*'From  the  forests  and  the  prairies, 
From  the  great  lakes  of  the  Northland, 
From  the  land  of  the  Ojibways, 
From  the  land  of  the  Dacotahs, 

15  From  the  mountains,  moors,  and  fenlands. 

Where  the  heron,  the  Shuh-shuh-gah, 
Feeds  among  the  reeds  and  rushes. 
I  repeat  them  as  I  heard  them 
From  the  lips  of  Nawadaha, 

20  The  musician,  the  sweet  singer." 

Should  you  ask  where  Nawadaha 
Found  these  songs,  so  wild  and  wayward, 
Found  these  legends  and  traditions, 
I  should  answer,  I  should  tell  you, 

25  "In  the  bird's-nests  of  the  forest. 

In  the  lodges  of  the  beaver, 
In  the  hoof -prints  of  the  bison. 
In  the  eyry  of  the  eagle! 

*'  All  the  wild -fowl  sang  them  to  him, 

30  In  the  moorlands  and  the  fenlands. 

In  the  melancholy  marshes; 
Chetowaik,  the  plover,  sang  them, 
Mahng,  the  loon,  the  wild-goose,  Wawa, 
The  blue  heron,  the  Shuh-shuh-gah, 

35  And  the  grouse,  the  Mushkodasal" 

If  still  further  you  should  ask  me. 
Saying,  "Who  was  Nawadaha? 
Tell  us  of  this  Nawadaha," 
I  should  answer  your  inquiries 

40  Straightway  in  such  words  as  follow. 

"In  the  Vale  of  Tawasentha, 
In  the  green  and  silent  valley. 
By  the  pleasant  water-courses. 
Dwelt  the  singer  Nawadaha. 

45  .  Round  about  the  Indian  village 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA,  77 

Spread  the  meadows  and  the  corn-fields, 
And  beyond  them  stood  the  forest, 
Stood  the  groves  of  singing  pine-trees. 
Green  in  Summer,  white  in  Winter, 
Ever  sighing,  ever  singing. 

"And  the  pleasant  water-courses. 
You  could  trace  them  through  the  valley, 
By  the  rushing  in  the  Spring-time, 
By  the  alders  in  the  Summer, 
By  the  white  fog  in  the  Autumn, 
By  the  black  line  in  the  Winter; 
And  beside  them  dwelt  the  singer, 
In  the  vale  of  Tawasentha, 
In  the  green  and  silent  valley. 

"There  he  sang  of  Hiawatha, 
Sang  the  Song  of  Hiawatha, 
Sang  his  wondrous  birth  and  being. 
How  he  prayed  and  how  he  fasted. 
How  he  lived,  and  toiled,  and  suffered. 
That  the  tribes  of  men  might  prosper. 
That  he  might  advance  his  people!" 

Ye  who  love  the  haunts  of  nature. 
Love  the  sunshine  of  the  meadow, 
Love  the  shadow  of  the  forest. 
Love  the  wind  among  the  branches. 
And  the  rain-shower  and  the  snow-storm 
And  the  rushing  of  great  rivers 
Through  their  palisades  of  pine-trees, 
And  the  thunder  in  the  mountains, 
Whose  innumerable  echoes 
Flap  like  eagles  in  their  eyries  — 
Listen  to  these  wild  traditions. 
To  this  Song  of  Hiawatha! 

Ye  who  love  a  nation's  legends, 
Love  the  ballads  of  a  people, 


78  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

That  like  voices  from  afar  off 
Call  to  us  to  pause  and  listen, 
Speak  in  tones  so  plain  and  childlike 
Scarcely  can  the  ear  distinguish 

8s  Whether  they  are  sung  or  spoken ;  — 

Listen  to  this  Indian  Legend, 
To  this  Song  of  Hiawatha! 

Ye  whose  hearts  are  fresh  and  simple; 
Who  have  faith  in  God  and  Nature, 

90  Who  believe,  that  in  all  ages 

Every  human  heart  is  human, 
That  in  even  savage  bosoms 
There  are  longings,  yearnings,  strivings. 
For  the  good  they  comprehend  not, 

95  That  the  feeble  hands  and  helpless, 

Groping  blindly  in  the  darkness, 
-     Touch  God's  right  hand  in  that  darkness. 
And  are  lifted  up  and  strengthened ;  — 
Listen  to  this  simple  story, 

100  To  this  Song  of  Hiawatha! 

Ye,  who  sometimes  in  your  rambles 
Through  the  green  lanes  of  the  country. 
Where  the  tangled  barberry-bushes 
Hang  their  tufts  of  crimson  berries 

105  Over  stone  walls  gray  with  mosses. 

Pause  by  some  neglected  graveyard. 
For  a  while  to  muse,  and  ponder 
On  a  half-effaced  inscription, 
Written  with  little  skill  of  song-craft, 

no  Homely  phrases,  but  each  letter 

Full  of  hope,  and  yet  of  heart-break, 
Full  of  all  the  tender  pathos 
Of  the  Here  and  the  Hereafter;  — 
Stay  and  read  this  rude  inscription, 

115  Read  this  Song  of  Hiawatha! 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  79 


The  Peace- Pipe 


On  the  Mountains  of  the  Prairie, 
On  the  great  Red  Pipe-Stone  Quarry, 
Gitche  Manito,  the  mighty. 
He  the  Master  of  Life,  descending, 
5  On  the  red  crags  of  the  quarry 

Stood  erect,  and  called  the  nations. 
Called  the  tribes  of  men  together. 

From  his  footprints  flowed  a  river, 
Leaped  into  the  light  of  morning, 

lo  O'er  the  precipice  plunging  downward 

Gleamed  hke  Ishkoodah,  the  comet. 
And  the  Spirit,  stooping  earthward, 
With  his  finger  on  the  meadow 
Traced  a  winding  pathway  for  it, 

15  Saying  to  it,  "Run  in  this  way!" 

From  the  red  stone  of  the  quarry 
With  his  hand  he  broke  a  fragment, 
Molded  it  into  a  pipe-head, 
Shaped  and  fashioned  it  with  figures; 

20  From  the  margin  of  the  river 

Took  a  long  reed  for  a  pipe-stem. 
With  its  dark  green  leaves  upon  it! 
Filled  the  pipe  with  bark  of  willow. 
With  the  bark  of  the  red  willow; 

25  Breathed  upon  the  neighboring  forest. 

Made  its  great  boughs  chafe  together. 
Till  in  flame  they  burst  and  kindled ; 
And  erect  upon  the  mountains, 
Gitche  Manito,  the  mighty, 

30*  Smoked  the  calumet,  the  Peace- Pipe, 

As  a  signal  to  the  nations. 

And  the  smoke  rose  slowly,  slowly. 


8o  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Through  the  tranquil  air  of  morning, 
First  a  single  line  of  darkness, 

35  Then  a  denser,  bluer  vapor, 

Then  a  snow-white  cloud  unfolding, 
Like  the  tree-tops  of  the  forest. 
Ever  rising,  rising,  rising. 
Till  it  touched  the  top  of  heaven, 

40  Till  it  broke  against  the  heaven. 

And  rolled  outward  all  around  it. 
From  the  Vale  of  Tawasenfha, 
From  the  Valley  of  Wyoming, 
From  the  groves  of  Tuscaloosa, 

45  From  the  far-off  Rocky  Mountains, 

From  the  Northern  lakes  and  rivers 
All  the  tribes  beheld  the  signal, 
Saw  the  distant  smoke  ascending, 
The  Pukwana  of  the  Peace-Pipe. 

50  And  the  Prophets  of  the  nations 

Said:   "Behold  it,  the  Pukwana! 
By  this  signal  from  afar  off. 
Bending  like  a  wand  of  willow. 
Waving  like  a  hand  that  beckons, 

55  Gitche  Manito,  the  mighty. 

Calls  the  tribes  of  men  together. 
Calls  the  warriors  to  his  council!" 

Down  the  rivers,  o'er  the  prairies. 
Came  the  warriors  of  the  nations, 

60  Came  the  Delawares  and  Mohawks, 

Came  the  Choctaws  and  Camanches, 
Came  the  Shoshonies  and  Blackfeet, 
Came  the  Pawnees  and  Omahas, 
Came  the  Mandans  and  Dacotahs, 

65  Came  the  Hurons  and  Ojibways, 

All  the  warriors  drawn  together 
By  the  signal  of  the  Peace-Pipe, 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  8i 

To  the  Mountains  of  the  Prairie, 

To  the  Great  Red  Pipe-stone  Quarry. 
70  And  they  stood  there  on  the  meadow, 

With  their  weapons  and  their  war-gear, 

Painted  Hke  the  leaves  of  Autumn, 

Painted  Hke  the  sky  of  morning. 

Wildly  glaring  at  each  other; 
75  In  their  faces  stem  defiance. 

In  their  hearts  the  feuds  of  ages. 

The  hereditary  hatred, 

The  ancestral  thirst  of  vengeance. 
Gitche  Manito,  the  mighty, 
80  The  creator  of  the  nations, 

Looked  upon  them  with  compassion. 

With  paternal  love  and  pity; 

IvOoked  upon  their  wrath  and  wrangling    . 

But  as  quarrels  among  children, 
85  But  as  feuds  and  fights  of  children! 

Over  them  he  stretched  his  right  hand. 

To  subdue  their  stubborn  natures. 

To  allay  their  thirst  and  fever. 

By  the  shadow  of  his  right  hand ; 
90  Spake  to  them  with  voice  majestic 

As  the  sound  of  far-off  waters, 

Falling  into  deep  abysses. 

Warning,  chiding,  spake  in  this  wise:  — 
"  O  my  children  I  my  poor  children! 
95  Listen  to  the  words  of  wisdom, 

.     Listen  to  the  words  of  warning. 

From  the  lips  of  the  Great  Spirit, 

From  the  Master  of  Life,  who  made  you ! 
*'I  have  given  you  lands  to  hunt  in, 
100       '        I  have  given  you  streams  to  fish  in, 

I  have  given  you  bear  and  bison, 

I  have  given  you  roe  and  reindeer. 


82  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

I  have  given  you  brant  and  beaver, 
Filled  the  marshes  full  of  wild-fowl, 

105  Filled  the  rivers  full  of  fishes; 

Why  then  are  you  not  contented  ? 
Why  then  will  you  hunt  each  other? 

"I  am  weary  of  your  quarrels, 
Weary  of  your  wars  and  bloodshed, 

no  Weary  of  your  prayers  for  vengeance, 

Of  your  wranglings  and  dissensions; 
All  your  strength  is  in  your  union. 
All  your  danger  is  in  discord ; 
Therefore  be  at  peace  henceforw^ard, 

115  And  as  brothers  live  together. 

"I  will  send  a  Prophet  to  you, 
A  Dehverer  of  the  nations, 
Who  shall  guide  you  and  shall  teach  you. 
Who  shall  toil  and  suffer  with  you. 

120  If  you  listen  to  his  counsels. 

You  will  multiply  and  prosper; 
If  his  warnings  pass  unheeded. 
You  will  fade  away  and  perish! 

"  Bathe  now  in  the  stream  before  you, 

125  Wash  the  war-paint  from  your  faces, 

Wash  the  bloodstains  from  your  fingers. 
Bury  your  war-clubs  and  your  weapons. 
Break  the  red  stone  from  this  quarry. 
Mold  and  make  it  into  Peace-Pipes, 

130  Take  the  reeds  that  grow  beside  you. 

Deck  them  with  your  brightest  feathers. 
Smoke  the  calumet  together. 
And  as  brothers  hve  henceforward!" 
Then  upon  the  ground  the  warriors 

13s  Threw  their  cloaks  and  shirts  of  deer-skin. 

Threw  their  weapons  and  their  war-gear, 
Leaped  into  the  rushing  river. 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  83 

Washed  the  war-paint  from  their  faces. 
Clear  above  them  flowed  the  water, 
Clear  and  limpid  from  the  footprints 
Of  the  Master  of  Life  descending; 
Dark  below  them  flowed  the  water, 
Soiled  and  stained  with  streaks  of  crimson, 
As  if  blood  were  mingled  with  it  I 

From  the  river  came  the  warriors, 
Clean  and  washed  from  all  their  war-paint ; 
On  the  banks  their  clubs  they  buried. 
Buried  all  their  warlike  weapons. 
Gitche  Manito,  the  mighty, 
The  Great  Spirit,  the  creator, 
Smiled  upon  his  helpless  chiidren! 

And  in  silence  all  the  warriors 
Broke  the  red  stone  of  the  quarry. 
Smoothed  and  formed  it  into  Peace-Pipes, 
Broke  the  long  reeds  by  the  river, 
Decked  them  with  their  brightest  feathers, 
And  departed  each  one  homeward. 
While  the  Master  of  Life,  ascending, 
Through  the  opening  of  cloud -curtains, 
Through  the  doorways  of  the  heaven, 
Vanished  from  before  their  faces, 
In  the  smoke  that  rolled  around  him. 
The  Pukwana  of  the  Peace-Pipe  1 


II 

The  Four  Winds 


"Honor  be  to  Mudjekeewisl" 
Cried  the  warriors,  cried  the  old  men, 
When  he  came  in  triumph  homeward 
With  the  sacred  Belt  of  Wampum, 


84  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

5  From  the  regions  of  the  North- Wind, 

From  the  kingdom  of  Wabasso, 
From  the  land  of  the  White  Rabbit. 

He  had  stolen  the  Belt  of  Wampum 
From  the  neck  of  Mishe-Mokwa, 

lo  From  the  Great  Bear  of  the  mountains, 

From  the  terror  of  the  nations, 
As  he  lay  asle'ep  and  cumbrous 
On  the  summit  of  the  mountains. 
Like  a  rock  with  mosses  on  it, 

15  Spotted  brown  and  gray  with  mosses. 

Silently  he  stole  upon  him, 
Till  the  red  nails  of  the  monster 
Almost  touched  him,  almost  scared  him, 
Till  the  hot  breath  of  his  nostrils 

20  Warmed  the  hands  of  Mudjekeewis, 

As  he  drew  the  Belt  of  Wampum 
Over  the  round  ears,  that  heard  not. 
Over  the  small  eyes,  that  saw  not. 
Over  the  long  nose  and  nostrils, 

2$  The  black  muffle  of  the  nostrils. 

Out  of  which  the  heavy  breathing 
Warmed  the  hands  of  Mudjekeewis. 
Then  he  swung  aloft  his  war-club,, 
Shouted  long  and  loud  his  war-cry, 

30  Smote  the  mighty  Mishe-Mokwa 

In  the  middle  of  the  forehead. 
Right  between  the  eyes  he  smote  him. 

With  the  heavy  blow  bewildered. 
Rose  the  Great  Bear  of  the  mountains; 

35  But  his  knees  beneath  him  trembled. 

And  he  whimpered  like  a  woman. 
As  he  reeled  and  staggered  forward, 
As  he  sat  upon  his  haunches; 
And  the  mighty  Mudjekeewis, 


THE  SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  85 

40  Standing  fearlessly  before  him, 

Taunted  him  in  loud  derision, 

Spake  disdainfully  in  this  wise:  — 
"Hark  you,  Bear  I  you  are  a  coward, 

And  no  Brave,  as  you  pretended; 
45  Else  you  would  not  cry  and  whimper 

Like  a  miserable  woman ! 

Bearl  you  know  our  tribes  are  hostile, 

Long  have  been  at  war  together; 

Now  you  find  that  we  are  strongest, 
50  You  go  sneaking  in  the  forest. 

You  go  hiding  in  the  mountains! 

Had  you  conquered  me  in  battle 

Not  a  groan  would  I  have  uttered ; 

But  you,  Bear!  sit  here  and  whimper, 
55  And  disgrace  your  tribe  by  crying, 

Like  a  wretched  Shaugodaya, 

Like  a  cowardly  old  woman!" 
Then  again  he  raised  his  war-club. 

Smote  again  the  Mishe-Mokwa 
60  In  the  middle  of  his  forehead. 

Broke  his  skull,  as  ice  is  broken 

When  one  goes  to  fish  in  Winter. 

Thus  was  slain  the  Mishe-Mokwa, 

He  the  Great  Bear  of  the  mountains, 
65  He  the  terror  of  the  nations. 

*' Honor  be  to  Mudjekeewis!" 

With  a  shout  exclaimed  the  people, 
"Honor  be  to  Mudjekeewis! 

Henceforth  he  shall  be  the  West- Wind, 
70  And  hereafter  and  forever 

Shall  he  hold  supreme  dominion 
Over  all  the  winds  of  heaven. 
Call  him  no  more  Mudjekeewis, 
Call  him  Kabeyun,  the  West-Wind!" 


86  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

75  Thus  was  Mudjekeewis  chosen 

Father  of  the  Winds  of  Heaven. 
For  himself  he  kept  the  West-Wind, 
Gave  the  others  to  his  children; 
Unto  Wabun  gave  the  East- Wind, 
80  Gave  the  South  to  Shawondasee, 

And  the  North- Wind,  wild  and  cruel. 
To  the  fierce  Kabibonokka. 

Young  and  beautiful  was  Wabun; 
He  it  was  who  brought  the  morning, 
85  He  it  was  whose  silver  arrows 

Chased  the  dark  o'er  hill  and  valley; 
He  it  was  whose  cheeks  were  painted 
With  the  brightest  streaks  of  crimson, 
90  Called  the  deer,  and  called  the  hunter. 

Lonely  in  the  sky  was  Wabun ; 
Though  the  birds  sang  gayly  to  him, 
Though  the  wild-fiowers  of  the  meadow 
Filled  the  air  with  odors  for  him, 
95  Though  the  forests  and  the  rivers 

Sang  and  shouted  at  his  coming. 
Still  his  heart  was  sad  within  him, 
For  he  was  alone  in  heaven. 

But  one  morning,  gazing  earthward, 
100  While  the  village  still  was  sleeping, 

And  the  fog  lay  on  the  river, 
Like  a  ghost,  that  goes  at  sunrise, 
He  beheld  a  maiden  walking 
All  alone  upon  a  meadow, 
105  Gathering  water-flags  and  rushes 

By  a  river  in  the  meadow. 

Every  morning,  gazing  earthward. 
Still  the  first  thing  he  beheld  there 
Was  her  blue  eyes  looking  at  him, 
no  Two  blue  lakes  among  the  rushes. 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  87 

And  he  loved  the  lonely  maiden, 

Who  thus  waited  for  his  coming; 

For  they  both  were  solitary, 

She  on  earth  and  he  in  heaven. 
115  And  he  wooed  her  with  caresses. 

Wooed  her  with  his  smile  of  sunshine, 

With  his  flattering  words  he  wooed  her, 

With  his  sighing  and  his  singing. 

Gentlest  whispers  in  the  branches, 
120  Softest  music,  sweetest  odors. 

Till  he  drew  her  to  his  bosom, 

Folded  in  his  robes  of  crimson, 

Till  into  a  star  he  changed  her, 

Trembling  still  upon  his  bosom; 
125  And  forever  in  the  heavens 

They  are  seen  together  walking, 

Wabun  and  the  Wabun-Annung, 

Wabun  and  the  Star  of  Morning. 
But  the  fierce  Kabibonokka 
130  Had  his  dwelling  among  icebergs. 

In  the  everlasting  snow-drifts. 

In  the  kingdom  of  Wabasso, 

In  the  land  of  the  White  Rabbit. 

He  it  was  whose  hand  in  Autumn 
135  Painted  all  the  trees  with  scarlet. 

Stained  the  leaves  with  red  and  yellow; 

He  it  was  who  sent  the  snow-flakes, 

Sifting,  hissing  through  the  forest. 

Froze  the  ponds,  the  lakes,  the  rivers, 
140  Drove  the  loon  and  sea-gull  southward. 

Drove  the  cormorant  and  heron 

To  their  nests  of  sedge  and  sea- tang 

In  the  realms  of  Shawondasee. 
Once  the  fierce  Kabibonokka 
145  Issued  from  his  lodge  of  snow-drifts, 


88  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

From  his  home  among  the  icebergs, 
And  his  hair,  with  snow  besprinkled, 
Streamed  behind  him  Hke  a  river. 
Like  a  black  and  wintry  river, 

150  As  he  howled  and  hurried  southward. 

Over  frozen  lakes  and  moorlands. 

There  among  the  reeds  and  rushes 
Found  he  Shingebis,  the  diver, 
Trailing  strings  of  fish  behind  him, 

15s  O'er  the  frozen  fens  and  moorlands. 

Lingering  still  among  the  moorlands. 
Though  his  tribe  had  long  departed 
To  the  land  of  Shawondasee. 
Cried  the  fierce  Kabibonokka, 

160  "Who  is  this  that  dares  to  brave  me? 

Dares  to  stay  in  my  dominions, 
When  the  Wawa  has  departed, 
When  the  wild  goose  has  gone  southward, 
And  the  heron,  the  Shuh-shuh-gah, 

165  Long  ago  departed  southward  ? 

I  will  go  into  his  wigwam, 
I  will  put  his  smouldering  fire  out!" 

And  at  night  Kabibonokka 
To  the  lodge  came  wild  and  wailing, 

170  Heaped  the  snow  in  drifts  about  it, 

Shouted  down  into  the  sm6ke-flue. 
Shook  the  lodge-poles  in  his  fury. 
Flapped  the  curtain  of  the  door-way. 
Shingebis,  the  diver  feared  not, 

175  Shingebis,  the  diver,  cared  not; 

Four  great  logs  had  he  for  firewood, 
One  for  each  moon  of  the  winter. 
And  for  food  the  fishes  served  him. 
By  his  blazing  fire  he  sat  there, 
180  Warm  and  merry,  eating,  laughing, 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  89 

Singing,  "O  Kabibonokka, 

You  are  but  my  fellow-mortal!" 
Then  Kabibonokka  entered, 

And  though  Shingebis,  the  diver, 
185  Felt  his  presence  by  the  coldness, 

Felt  his  icy  breath  upon  him, 

Still  he  did  not  cease  his  singing, 

Still  he  did  not  leave  his  laughing, 

Only  turned  the  log  a  little, 
190  Only  made  the  fire  bum  brighter, 

Made  the  sparks  fly  up  the  smoke-flue. 
From  Kabibonokka's  forehead. 

From  his  snow-besprinkled  tresses. 

Drops  of  sweat  fell  fast  and  heavy, 
195  Making  dints  upon  the  ashes. 

As  along  the  eaves  of  lodges. 

As  from  drooping  boughs  of  hemlock. 

Drips  the  melting  snow  in  spring-time, 

Making  hollows  in  the  snow-drifts. 
200  Till  at  last  he  rose  defeated, 

Could  not  bear  the  heat  and  laughter, 

Could  not  bear  the  merry  singing, 

But  rushed  headlong  through  the  doorway. 

Stamped  upon  the  crusted  snow-drifts, 
205  Stamped  upon  the  lakes  and  rivers. 

Made  the  snow  upon  them  harder. 

Made  the  ice  upon  them  thicker. 

Challenged  Shingebis,  the  diver. 

To  come  forth  and  wrestle  with  him, 
210  To  come  forth  and  wrestled  naked 

On  the  frozen  fens  and  moorlands. 
Forth  went  Shingebis,  the  diver. 

Wrestled  all  night  with  the  North- Wind, 

Wrestled  naked  on  the  moorlands 
215  With  the  fierce  Kabibonokka, 


90  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Till  his  panting  breath  grew  fainter, 
Till  his  frozen  grasp  grew  feebler, 
Till  he  reeled  and  staggered  backward, 
And  retreated,  baffled,  beaten, 

220  To  the  kingdom  of  Wabasso, 

To  the  land  of  the  White  Rabbit, 
Hearing  still  the  gusty  laughter, 
Hearing  Shingebis,  the  diver, 
Singing,  "O  Kabibonokka, 

225  You  are  but  my  fellow-mortal!" 

Shawondasee,  fat  and  lazy, 
Had  his  dwelling  far  to  southward 
In  the  drowsy,  dreamy  sunshine. 
In  the  never-ending  Summer. 

230  He  it  was  who  sent  the  wood -birds, 

Sent  the  robin,  the  Opechee, 
Sent  the  bluebird,  the  Owaissa, 
Sent  the  Shawshaw,  sent  the  swallow, 
Sent  the  wild-goose,  Wawa,  northward, 

235  Sent  the  melons  and  tobacco, 

And  the  grapes  in  purple  clusters. 

From  his  pipe  the  smoke  ascending 
Filled  the  sky  with  haze  and  vapor, 
Filled  the  air  with  dreamy  softness, 

240  Gave  a  twinkle  to  the  water, 

Touched  the  rugged  hills  with  smoothness, 
Brought  the  tender  Indian  summer 
In  the  Moon  when  nights  are  brightest. 
In  the  dreary  Moon  of  Snowshoes. 

245  Listless,  careless  Shawondasee! 

In  his  life  he  had  one  shadow. 
In  his  heart  one  sorrow  had  he. 
Once,  as  he  was  gazing  northward, 
Far  away  upon  a  prairie 

250  He  beheld  a  maiden  standing. 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  91 

Saw  a  tall  and  slender  maiden 

All  alone  upon  a  prairie ; 

Brightest  green  were  all  her  garments, 

And  her  hair  was  like  the  sunshine. 
255  Day  by  day  he  gazed  upon  her, 

Day  by  day  he  sighed  with  passion, 

Day  by  day  his  heart  within  him 

Grew  more  hot  with  love  and  longing 

For  the  maid  with  yellow  tresses. 
260  But  he  was  too  fat  and  lazy 

To  bestir  himself  and  woo  her; 

Yes,  too  indolent  and  easy 

To  pursue  her  and  persuade  her. 

So  he  only  gazed  upon  her, 
265  Only  sat  and  sighed  with  passion 

For  the  maiden  of  the  prairie. 

Till  one  morning,  looking  northward. 

He  beheld  her  yellow  tresses 

Changed  and  covered  o'er  with  whiteness, 
270  Covered  as  with  whitest  snowflakes. 

''Ah!  my  brother  from  the  Northland, 

From  the  kingdom  of  Wabasso, 

From  the  land  of  the  White  Rabbit! 

You  have  stolen  the  maiden  from  me, 
275  You  have  laid  your  hand  upon  her, 

You  have  wooed  and  won  my  maiden. 

With  your  stories  of  the  Northland!" 
Thus  the  wretched  Shawondasee 

Breathed  into  the  air  his  sorrow; 
280  And  the  South-wind  o'er  the  prairie 

Wandered  warm  with  sighs  of  passion. 

With  the  sighs  of  Shawondasee, 

Till  the  air  seemed  full  of  snowflakes. 

Full  of  thistle-down  the  prairie, 
285  And  the  maid  with  hair  like  sunshine 


92  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Vanished  from  his  sight  forever; 
Never  more  did  Shawondasee 
See  the  maid  with  yellow  tresses: 
Poor,  deluded  Shawondasee! 

290  'T  was  no  woman  that  you  gazed  at, 

.  'T  was  no  maiden  that  you  sighed  for, 
'T  was  the  prairie  dandelion 
That  through  all  the  dreamy  Summer 
You  had  gazed  at  with  such  longing, 

295  You  had  sighed  for  with  such  passion. 

And  had  puffed  away  forever, 
Blown  into  the  air  with  sighing. 
Ah  I  deluded  Shawondasee  I 

Thus  the  Four  Winds  were  divided; 

300  Thus  the  sons  of  Mudjekeewis 

Had  their  stations  in  the  heavens. 
At  the  comers  of  the  heavens ; 
For  himself  the  West-Wind  only 
Kept  the  mighty  Mudjekeewis. 


Ill 

Hiawatha's   Childhood 

Downward  through  the  evening  twilight, 
In  the  days  that  are  forgotten. 
In  the  unremembered  ages, 
From  the  full  moon  fell  Nokomis, 
Fell  the  beautiful  Nokomis, 
She  a  wife,  but  not  a  mother. 

She  was  sporting  with  her  women 
Swinging  in  a  swing  of  grape-vines, 
When  her  rival,  the  rejected, 
Full  of  jealousy  and  hatred, 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  93 

Cut  the  leafy  swing  asunder, 

Cut  in  twain  the  twisted  grape-vines, 

And  Nokomis  fell  affrighted 

Downward  through  the  evening  twilight, 
15  On  the  Muskoday,  the  meadow, 

On  the  prairie  full  of  blossoms. 
"See!    a  star  falls!"  said  the  people; 
*'From  the  sky  a  star  is  falling!" 

There  among  the  ferns  and  mosses, 
20  There  among  the  prairie  lilies. 

On  the  Muskoday,  the  meadow, 

In  the  moonlight  and  the  starlight. 

Fair  Nokomis  bore  a  daughter. 

And  she  called  her  name  Wenonah, 
25  As  the  first-bom  of  her  daughters, 

And  the  daughter  of  Nokomis 

Grew  up  like  the  prairie  lilies. 

Grew  a  tall  and  slender  maiden, 

With  the  beauty  of  the  moonlight, 
30  With  the  beauty  of  the  starlight. 

And  Nokomis  warned  her  often. 

Saying  oft,  and  oft  repeating, 
"O,  beware  of  Mudjekeewis; 

Of  the  West- Wind,  Mudjekeewis; 
35  Listen  not  to  what  he  tells  you ; 

Lie  not  down  upon  the  meadow. 

Stoop  not  down  among  the  lilies. 

Lest  the  West- Wind  come  and  harm  you!" 
But  she  heeded  not  the  warning, 
40  Heeded  not  those  words  of  wisdom, 

And  the  West-Wind  came  at  evening, 

Walking  lightly  o'er  the  prairie, 

Whispering  to  the  leaves  and  blossoms, 

Bending  low  the  flowers  and  grasses, 
45  Found  the  beautiful  Wenonah, 


94  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Lying  there  among  the  lilies,  ' 

Wooed  her  with  his  words  of  sweetness, 
Wooed  her  with  his  soft  caresses, 
Till  she  bore  a  son  in  sorrow, 

50  Bore  a  son  of  love  and  sorrow. 

Thus  was  bom  my  Hiawatha, 
Thus  was  bom  the  child  of  wonder; 
But  the  daughter  of  Nokomis, 
Hiawatha's  gentle  mother, 

55  In  her  anguish  died  deserted 

By  the  West- Wind,  false  and  faithless, 
By  the  heartless  Mudjekeewis. 

For  her  daughter,  long  and  loudly 
Wailed  and  wept  the  sad  Nokomis; 

60  "O  that  I  were  dead!"  she  murmured, 

"O  that  I  were  dead,  as  thou  art!  . 
No  more  work,  and  no  more  weeping, 
Wahonowin !    Wahonowin ! ' ' 
By  the  shores  of  Gitche  Gumee, 

65  By  the  shining  Big-Sea- Water, 

Stood  the  wigwam  of  Nokomis, 
Daughter  of  the  Moon,  Nokomis. 
Dark  behind  it  rose  the  forest. 
Rose  the  black  and  gloomy  pine-trees, 

70  Rose  the  firs  with  cones  upon  them ; 

Bright  before  it  beat  the  water. 
Beat  the  clear  and  sunny  water. 
Beat  the  shining  Big-SeaWater. 
There  the  wrinkled,  old  Nokomis 

75  Nursed  the  little  Hiawatha, 

Rocked  him  in  his  linden  cradle. 
Bedded  soft  in  moss  and  mshes. 
Safely  bound  with  reindeer  sinews; 
Stilled  his  fretful  wail  by  saying, 

80  "Hush!  the  Naked  Bear  will  get  thee!" 


THE   SONG   OF  HIAWATHA  95 

Lulled  him  into  slumber,  singing, 
*Ewa-yea!  my  little  owlet! 

Who  is  this,  that  lights  the  wigwam  ? 

With  his  great  eyes  lights  the  wigwam? 

Ewa-yeal  my  little  owlet!" 
Many  things  Nokomis  taught  him 

Of  the  stars  that  shine  in  heaven; 

Showed  him  Ishkooda,  the  comet, 

Ishkoodah,  with  fiery  tresses; 

Showed  the  Death- Dance  of  the  spirits. 

Warriors  with  their  plumes  and  war-clubs, 

Flaring  far  away  to  northward 

In  the  frosty  nights  of  Winter; 

Showed  the  broad,  white  road  in  heaven, 

Pathway  of  the  ghosts,  the  shadows. 

Running  straight  across  the  heavens. 

Crowded  with  the  ghosts,  the  shadows. 
At  the  door  on  summer  evenings 

Sat  the  little  Hiawatha; 

Heard  the  whispering  of  the  pine-trees, 

Heard  the  lapping  of  the  water. 

Sounds  of  music,  words  of  wonder; 
"Minne-wawa!"  said  the  pine-trees, 
"  Mudway-aushka ! "  said  the  water. 
Saw  the  fire-fly,  Wah-wah-taysee, 

Flitting  through  the  dusk  of  evening, 

With  the  twinkle  of  its  candle 

Lighting  up  the  brakes  and  bushes. 

And  he  sang  the  song  of  children. 

Sang  the  song  Nokomis  taught  him : 
**  Wah-wah-taysee,  little  fire- fly. 

Little,  flitting,  white-fire  insect. 

Little,  dancing,  white-fire  creature, 

Light  me  with  your  little  candle. 

Ere  upon  my  bed  I  lay  me, 


96  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Ere  in  sleep  I  close  my  eyelids!" 

Saw  the  moon  rise  from  the  water, 
Rippling,  rounding  from  the  water, 
Saw  the  flecks  and  shadows  on  it, 
20  Whispered,  "What  is  that,  Nokomis?" 

And  the  good  Nokomis  answered, 
"  Once  a  warrior,  very  angry, 
Seized  his  grandmother,  and  threw  her 
Up  into  the  sky  at  midnight; 
125  Right  against  the  moon  he  threw  her; 

Tis  her  body  that  you  see  there." 
Saw  the  rainbow  in  the  heaven. 
In  the  eastern  sky,  the  rainbow. 
Whispered,  "What  is  that,  Nokomis?" 
130  And  the  good  Nokomis  answered: 

"'Tis  the  heaven  of  flowers  you  see  there; 
All  the  wild -flowers  of  the  forest, 
All  the  lilies  of  the  prairie, 
When  on  earth  they  fade  and  perish, 
13s  Blossom  in  that  heaven  above  us." 

When  he  heard  the  owls  at  midnight, 
Hooting,  laughing  in  the  forest, 
"What  is  that?"  he  cried  in  terror; 
"What  is  that?"  he  said,  "Nokomis?" 
140  And  the  good  Nokomis  answered: 

"That  is  but  the  owl  and  owlet, 
Talking  in  their  native  language. 
Talking,  scolding  at  each  other." 
Then  the  little  Hiawatha 
145  Learned  of  every  bird  its  language, 

Learned  their  names  and  all  their  secrets, 
How  they  built  their  nests  in  Summer, 
Where  they  hid  themselves  in  Winter, 
Talked  with  them  whene'er  he  met  them, 
150  Called  them  "Hiawatha's  Chickens." 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  97 

Of  all  beasts  he  learned  the  language, 

Learned  their  names  and  all  their  secrets, 

How  the  beavers  built  their  lodges, 

Where  the  squirrels  hid  their  acorns, 
15s  How  the  reindeer  ran  so  swiftly. 

Why  the  rabbit  was  so  timid, 

Talked  with  them  whene'er  he  met  them, 

Called  them  *' Hiawatha's  brothers." 
Then  lagoo,  the  great  boaster, 
160  He  the  marvellous  story-teller. 

He  the  traveler  and  the  talker. 

He  the  friend  of  old  Nokomis, 

Made  a  bow  for  Hiawatha; 

From  a  branch  of  ash  he  made  it, 
165  From  an  oak-bough  made  the  arrows, 

Tipped  with  flint,  and  winged  with  feathers. 

And  the  cord  he  made  of  deer-skin. 
Then  he  said  to  Hiawatha: 
"Go,  my  son,  into  the  forest, 
170  Where  the  red  deer  herd  together, 

Kill  for  us  a  famous  roebuck. 

Kill  for  us  a  deer  with  antlers!" 
Forth  into  the  forest  straightway, 

All  alone  walked  Hiawatha 
175  Proudly,  with  his  bow  and  arrows; 

And  the  birds  sang  round  him,  o'er  him, 
*'Do  not  shoot  us,  Hiawatha!" 

Sang  the  robin,  the  Opechee, 

Sang  the  bluebird,  the  Owaissa, 
180  *'Do  not  shoot  us,  Hiawatha!" 

Up  the  oak  tree,  close  beside  him, 

Sprang  the  squirrel,  Adjidaumo, 

In  and  out  among  the  branches, 

Coughed  and  chattered  from  the  oak-tree, 
185  Laughed,  eind  said  between  his  laughing. 


98  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

"Do  not  shoot  me,  Hiawatha!" 

And  the  rabbit  from  his  pathway 
Leaped  aside,  and  at  a  distance 
Sat  erect  upon  his  haunches, 

190  Half  in  fear  and  half  in  frolic, 

Saying  to  the  little  hunter, 
*'Do  not  shoot  me  Hiawatha!" 

But  he  heeded  not,  nor  heard  them. 
For  his  thoughts  were  with  the  red  deer; 

195  On  their  tracks  his  eyes  were  fastened, 

Leading  downward  to  the  river. 
To  the  ford  across  the  river. 
And  as  one  in  slumber  walked  he. 
Hidden  in  the  alder-bushes, 

200  There  he  waited  till  the  deer  came. 

Till  he  saw  two  antlers  lifted. 
Saw  two  eyes  look  from  the  thicket. 
Saw  two  nostrils  point  to  windward. 
And  a  deer  came  down  the  pathway, 

205  Flecked  with  leafy  light  and  shadow. 

And  his  heart  within  him  fluttered. 
Trembled  like  the  leaves  above  him. 
Like  the  birch-leaf  palpitated. 
As  the  deer  came  down  the  pathway. 

2ro  Then,  upon  one  knee  uprising, 

Hiawatha  aimed   an  arrow; 
Scarce  a  twig  moved  with  his  motion, 
Scarce  a  leaf  was  stirred  or  rustled. 
But  the  wary  roebuck  started, 

215  Stamped  with  all  his  hoofs  together, 

Listened  with  one  foot  uplifted. 
Leaped  as  if  to  meet  the  arrow ; 
Ah!   the  singing,  fatal  arrow. 
Like  a  wasp  it  buzzed  and  stung  him! 

220  Dead  he  lay  there  in  the  forest, 


THE  SONG  OF   HIAWATHA  99 

By  the  ford  across  the  river; 
Beat  his  timid  heart  no  longer, 
But  the  heart  of  Hiawatha 
Throbbed  and  shouted  and  exulted, 
As  he  bore  the  red  deer  homeward. 
And  lagoo  and  Nokomis 
Hailed  his  coming  with  applauses. 

From  the  red  deer's  hide  Nokomis 
Made  a  cloak  for  Hiawatha, 
From  the  red  deer's  flesh  Nokomis 
Made  a  banquet  in  his  honor. 
All  the  village  came  and  feasted. 
All  the  guests  praised  Hiawatha, 
Called  him  Strong-Heart,  Soan-ge-taha! 
Called  him  Loon-Heart,  Mahn-go-tayseel 


IV 

HlAV^ATHA    AND    MUDJEKEEWIS 

Out  of  childhood  into  manhood 
Now  had  grown  my  Hiawatha, 
Skilled  in  all  the  craft  of  hunters, 
Learned  in  all  the  lore  of  old  men, 
5  In  all  youthful  sports  and  pastimes, 

In  all  manly  arts  and  labors. 
Swift  of  foot  was  Hiawatha; 
He  could  shoot  an  arrow  from  him. 
And  run  forward  with  such  fleetaess, 

lo  That  the  arrow  fell  behind  him ! 

Strong  of  arm  was  Hiawatha; 
He  could  shoot  ten  arrows  upward, 
Shoot  them  with  such  strength  and  swiftness, 
That  the  tenth  had  left  the  bow-string 

IS  Ere  the  first  to  earth  had  fallen : 


loo  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

He  had  mittens,  Minjekahwun, 
Magic  mittens  made  of  deer-skin; 
When  upon  his  hands  he  wore  them, 
He  could  smite  the  rocks  asunder, 
20  He  could  grind  them  into  powder. 

He  had  moccasins  enchanted, 
Magic  moccasins  of  deer-skin; 
When  he  bound  them  round  his  ankles, 
When  upon  his  feet  he  tied  them, 
25  At  each  stride  a  mile  he  measured ! 

Much  he  questioned  old  Nokomis 
Of  his  father  Mudjekeewis; 
Learned  from  her  the  fatal  secret 
Of  the  beauty  of  his  mother, 
30  Of  the  falsehood  of  his  father; 

And  his  heart  was  hot  within  him. 
Like  a  living  coal  his  heart  was. 
Then  he  said  to  old  Nokomis, 
"I  will  go  to  Mudjekeewis, 
35  See  how  fares  it  with  my  father. 

At  the  doorways  of  the  West-Wind, 
At  the  portals  of  the  Sunset ! " 

From  his  lodge  went  Hiawatha, 
Dressed  for  travel,  armed  for  hunting; 
40  Dressed  in  deer-skin  shirt  and  leggings. 

Richly  wrought  with  quills  and  wampum; 
On  his  head  his  eagle  feathers. 
Round  his  waist  his  belt  of  wampum. 
In  his  hand  his  bow  of  ash-wood, 
45  Strung  with  sinews  of  the  reindeer; 

In  his  quiver  oaken  arrows. 
Tipped  with  jasper,  winged  with  feathers; 
With  his  mittens,  Minjekahwun, 
With  his  moccasins  enchanted. 
50  Warning  said  the  old  Nokomis, 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  ,,    ,    ,  ,ioi 

'  >  '  J '  J  1  o ) 

'     1  1  °       3    °,  J       J      J  ,  > 

"Go  not  forth,  O  Hiawatha"! 

To  the  kingdom  of  the  West- Wind, 

To  the  reahns  of  Mudjekeewis, 

Lest  he  harm  you  with  his  magic, 
55  Lest  he  kill  you  with  his  cunning!" 

But  the  fearless  Hiawatha 

Heeded  not  her  woman^s  warning; 

Forth  he  strode  into  the  forest. 

At  each  stride  a  mile  he  measured  ; 
6o  Lurid  seemed  the  sky  above  him, 

Lurid  seemed  the  earth  beneath  him, 

Hot  and  close  the  air  around  him, 

Filled  with  smoke  and  fiery  vapors, 

As  of  burning  woods  and  prairies, 
65  For  his  heart  was  hot  within  him. 

Like  a  living  coal  his  heart  was. 
So  he  journeyed  westward,  westward, 

Left  the  fleetest  deer  behind  him. 

Left  the  antelope  and  bison; 
70  Crossed  the  rushing  Esconaba, 

Crossed  the  mighty  Mississippi, 

Passed  the  Mountains  of  the  Prairie, 

Passed  the  land  of  Crows  and  Foxes, 

Passed  the  dwellings  of  the  Blackfeet, 
75  Came  unto  the  Rocky  Mountains, 

To  the  kingdom  of  the  West- Wind, 

Where  upon  the  gusty  summits, 

Sat  the  ancient  Mudjekeewis, 

Ruler  of  the  winds  of  heaven. 
80  Filled  with  awe  was  Hiawatha 

At  the  aspect  of  his  father. 

On  the  air  about  him  wildly 

Tossed  and  streamed  his  cloudy  tresses. 

Gleamed  like  drifting  snow  his  tresses, 
85  Glared  like  Ishkoodah,  the  comet. 


I02  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

'  Like  the  star  with  fiery  tresses. 
Filled  with  joy  was  Mudjekeewis 
When  he  looked  on  Hiawatha, 
Saw  his  youth  rise  up  before  him 

90  In  the  face  of  Hiawatha, 

Saw  the  beauty  of  Wenonah 
From  the  grave  rise  up  before  him. 
*' Welcome!"  said  he,  "Hiawatha, 
To  the  kingdom  of  the  West-Wind ! 

95  Long  have  I  been  waiting  for  you ! 

Youth  is  lovely,  age  is  lonely. 
Youth  is  fiery,  age  is  frosty; 
You  bring  back  the  days  departed. 
You  bring  back  my  youth  of  passion, 

100  And  the  beautiful  Wenonah!" 

Many  days  they  talked  together, 
Questioned,  listened,  waited,  answered; 
Much  the  mighty  Mudjekeewis 
Boasted  of  his  ancient  prowess, 

105  Of  his  perilous  adventures, 

His  indomitable  courage. 
His  invulnerable  body. 

Patiently  sat  Hiawatha, 
Listening  to  his  father's  boasting; 

no  With  a  smile  he  sat  and  listened ; 

Uttered  neither  threat  nor  menace, 
Neither  word  nor  look  betrayed  him, 
But  his  heart  was  hot  within  him. 
Like  a  living  coal  his  heart  was. 

115  Then  he  said,  "O  Mudjekeewis, 

Is  there  nothing  that  can  harm  you  ? 
Nothing  that  you  are  afraid  of?" 
And  the  mighty  Mudjekeewis, 
Grand  and  gracious  in  his  boasting, 

120  Answered,  saying,  "There  is  nothing. 


THE  SONG  OF   HIAWATHA  103 

Nothing  but  the  black  rock  yonder, 
Nothing  but  the  fatal  Wawbeek  ?  " 

And  he  looked  at  Hiawatha 
With  a  wise  look  and  benignant, 
125  With  a  countenance  paternal, 

Looked  with  pride  upon  the  beauty 
Of  his  tall  and  graceful  figure, 
Saying,  "O  my  Hiawatha! 
Is  there  anything  can  harm  you? 
130  Anything  you  are  afraid  of?" 

But  the  wary  Hiawatha 
Paused  awhile,  as  if  uncertain. 
Held  his  peace,  as  if  resolving, 
And  then  answered,  "There  is  nothing, 
135  Nothing  but  the  bulrush  yonder. 

Nothing  but  the  great  Apukwal" 

And  as  Mudjekeewis,  rising, 
Stretched  his  hand  to  pluck  the  bulrush, 
Hiawatha  cried  in  terror, 
140  Cried  in  well-dissembled  terror, 

''Kago!  kago!  do  not  touch  it  1" 
"Ah,  kaween!"  said  Mudjekeewis, 
"No,  indeed,  I  will  not  touch  it  I" 

Then  they  talked  of  other  matters; 
145  First  of  Hiawatha's  brothers. 

First  of  Wabun,  of  the  East-Wind, 
Of  the  South- Wind,  Shawondasee, 
Of  the  North,  Kabibonokka; 
Then  of  Hiawatha's  mother, 
150  Of  the  beautiful  Wenonah, 

Of  her  birth  upon  the  meadow, 
Of  her  death,  as  old  Nokomis 
Had  remembered  and  related. 
And  he  cried,  "O  Mudjekeewis, 
155  It  was  you  who  killed  Wenonah, 


I04  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Took  her  young  life  and  her  beauty, 
Broke  the  Lily  of  the  Prairie, 
Trampled  it  beneath  your  footsteps* 
You  confess  it!  you  confess  it!" 

i6o  And  the  Mighty  Mudjekeewis 

Tossed  his  gray  hairs  to  the  west  wind, 
Bowed  his  hoary  head  in  anguish, 
With  a  silent  nod  assented. 
Then  up  started  Hiawatha, 

165  And  with  threatening  look  and  gesture 

Laid  his  hand  upon  the  black  rock, 
On  the  fatal  Wawbeek  laid  it. 
With  his  mittens,  Minjekahwun, 
Rent  the  jutting  crag  asunder, 

170  Smote  and  crushed  it  into  fragments 

Hurled  them  madly  at  his  father. 
The  remorseful  Mudjekeewis, 
For  his  heart  was  hot  within  him. 
Like  a  living  coal  his  heart  was, 

175  But  the  ruler  of  the  West- Wind 

Blew  the  fragments  backward  from  him, 
With  the  breathing  of  his  nostrils. 
With  the  tempest  of  his  anger. 
Blew  them  back  at  his  assailant ; 

180  Seized  the  bulrush,  the  Apukwa, 

Dragged  it  with  its  roots  and  fibres 
From  the  margin  of  the  meadow. 
From  its  ooze,  the  giant  bulrush ; 
Long  and  loud  laughed  Hiawatha! 

185  Then  began  the  deadly  conflict. 

Hand  to  hand  among  the  mountains; 
From  his  eyry  screamed  the  eagle. 
The  Keneu,  the  great  war-eagle. 
Sat  upon  the  crags  around  them, 

190  Wheeling  flapped  his  wings  above  them. 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  105 

Like  a  tall  tree  in  the  tempest 

Bent  and  lashed  the  giant  bulrush; 

And  in  masses  huge  and  heavy 

Crashing  fell  the  fatal  Wawbeek; 
195  Till  the  earth  shook  with  the  tumult 

And  confusion  of  the  battle, 

And  the  air  was  full  of  shoutings, 

And  the  thunder  of  the  mountains, 

Starting,  answered,  "Baim-wawal'* 
200  Back  retreated  Mudjekeewis, 

Rushing  westward  o'er  the  mountains. 

Stumbling  westward  down  the  mountains, 

Three  whole  days  retreated  fighting. 

Still  pursued  by  Hiawatha 
205  To  the  door-ways  of  the  West-Wind, 

To  the  portals  of  the  Sunset, 

To  the  earth's  remotest  border, 

Where  into  the  empty  spaces 

Sinks  the  sun,  as  a  flamingo 
210  Drops  into  her  nest  at  nightfall, 

In  the  melancholy  marshes. 
"Hold!"  at  length  cried  Mudjekeewis, 
*'Hold,  my  son,  my  Hiawatha! 

'Tis  impossible  to  kill  me, 
215  For  you  cannot  kill  the  immortal. 

I  have  put  you  to  this  trial, 
'  But  to  know  and  prove  your  courage; 

Now  receive  the  prize  of  valor! 

"  Go  back  to  your  home  and  people, 
220  Live  among  them,  toil  among  them. 

Cleanse  the  earth  from  all  that  harms  it. 

Clear  the  fishing-grounds  and  rivers, 

Slay  all  monsters  and  magicians, 

All  the  giants,  the  Wendigoes, 
225  All  the  serpents,  the  Kenabeeks, 


io6  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

As  I  slew  the  Mishe-Mokwa, 

Slew  the  Great  Bear  of  the  mountains. 

''And  at  last  when  Death  draws  near  you, 
When  the  awful  eyes  of  Pauguk 

230  Glare  upon  you  in  the  darkness, 

I  will  share  my  kingdom  with  you, 
Ruler  shall  you  be  thenceforward 
Of  the  Northwest- Wind,  Keewaydin, 
Of  the  home-wind,  the  Keewaydin." 

235  Thus  was  fought  that  famous  battle 

In  the  dreadful  days  of  Shah-shah! 
In  the  days  long  since  departed. 
In  the  kingdom  of  the  West-Wind. 
Still  the  hunter  sees  its  traces 

240  Scattered  far  o'er  hill  and  valley; 

Sees  the  giant  bulrush  growing 
By  the  ponds  and  water-courses. 
Sees  the  masses  of  the  Wawbeek 
Lying  still  in  every  valley. 

245  Homeward  now  went  Hiawatha; 

Pleasant  was  the  landscape  round  him, 
Pleasant  was  the  air  above  him, 
For  the  bitterness  of  anger 
Had  departed  wholly  from  him, 

250  From  his  brain  the  thought  of  vengeance. 

From  his  heart  the  burning  fever. 

Only  once  his  pace  he  slackened. 
Only  once  he  paused  or  halted, 
Paused  to  purchase  heads  of  arrows 

255  Of  the  ancient  Arrow-maker, 

In  the  land  of  the  Dacotahs, 
Where  the  Falls  of  Minnehaha 
Flash  and  gleam  among  the  oak-trees, 
Laugh  and  leap  into  the  valley, 

360  There  the  ancient  Arrow-maker 


THE   SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  107 

Made  his  arrow-heads  of  sandstone, 

Arrow-heads  of  chalcedony, 

Arrow-heads  of  flint  and  jasper, 

Smooth  and  sharpened  at  the  edges, 
265  Hard  and  polished,  keen  and  costly. 

With  him  dwelt  his  dark-eyed  daughter, 

Wayward  as  the  Minnehaha, 

With  her  moods  of  shade  and  sunshine, 

Eyes  that  smiled  and  frowned  alternate, 
270  Feet  as  rapid  as  the  river. 

Tresses  flowing  like  the  water, 

And  as  musical  a  laughter; 

And  he  named  her  from  the  river, 

From  the  water-fall  he  named  her, 
275  Minnehaha,  Laughing  Water. 

Was  it  then  for  heads  of  arrows. 

Arrow-heads  of  chalcedony, 

Arrow-heads  of  flint  and  jasper, 

That  my  Hiawatha  halted 
280  In  the  land  of  the  Dacotahs  ? 

Was  it  not  to  see  the  maiden. 

See  the  face  of  Laughing  Water, 

Peeping  from  behind  the  curtain. 

Hear  the  rustling  of  her  garments 
285  From  behind  the  waving  curtain. 

As  one  sees  the  Minnehaha 

Gleaming,  glancing  through  the  branches. 

As  one  hears  the  Laughing  Water 

From  behind  its  screen  of  branches  ? 
290  Who  shall  say  what  thoughts  and  visions 

Fill  the  fiery  brains  of  young  men  ? 

Who  shall  say  what  dreams  of  beauty 

Filled  the  heart  of  Hiawatha? 

All  he  told  to  old  Nokomis, 
29s  When  he  reached  the  lodge  at  sunset, 


io8  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Was  the  meeting  with  his  father, 
Was  his  fight  with  Mudjekeewis; 
Not  a  word  he  said  of  arrows, 
Not  a  word  of  Laughing  Water. 


Hiawatha's  Fasting 

You  shall  hear  how  Hiawatha 
Prayed  and  fasted  in  the  forest, 
Not  for  greater  skill  in  hunting. 
Not  for  greater  craft  in  fishing, 
5  Not  for  triumphs  in  the  battle. 

And  renown  among  the  warriors. 
But  for  profit  of  the  people, 
For  advantage  of  the  nations. 
First  he  built  a  lodge  for  fasting, 

lo  Built  a  wigwam  in  the  forest. 

By  the  shining  Big-Sea- Water, 
In  the  blithe  and  pleasant  Spring-time, 
In  the  Moon  of  Leaves  he  built  it. 
And,  with  dreams  and  visions  many, 

15  Seven  whole  days  and  nights  he  fasted. 

On  the  first  day  of  his  fasting 
Through  the  leafy  woods  he  wandered ; 
Saw  the  deer  start  from  the  thicket, 
Saw  the  rabbit  in  his  burrow, 

20  Heard  the  pheasant,  Bena,  drumming. 

Heard  the  squirrel,  Adjidaumo, 
Rattling  in  his  hoard  of  acorns. 
Saw  the  pigeon,  the  Omeme, 
Building  nests  among  the  pine-trees, 

35  And  in  flocks  the  wild  goose,  Wawa, 


THE   SONG  OF   HIAWATHA  109 

Flying  to  the  fenlands  northward, 
Whirring,  wailing  far  above  him. 
*' Master  of  Lifel"  he  cried,  desponding, 
*'  Must  our  lives  depend  on  these  things  ?  " 
30  On  the  next  day  of  his  fasting 

By  the  river's  bank  he  wandered, 
Through'  the  Muskoday,  the  meadow, 
Saw  the  wild  rice,  Mahnomonee, 
Sa\y  the  blueberry,  Meenahga, 
35  And  the  strawberry,  Odahmin, 

And  the  gooseberry,  Shahbomin, 
And  the  grape-vine,  the  Bemahgut, 
Trailing  o'er  the  alder-branches. 
Filling  all  the  air  with  fragrance! 
40  ''Master  of  Lifel"  he  cried,  desponding, 

*'  Must  our  lives  depend  on  these  things?" 
On  the  third  day  of  his  fasting 
By  the  lake  he  sat  and  pondered, 
By  the  still,  transparent  water; 
45  Saw  the  sturgeon,  Nahma,  leaping. 

Scattering  drops  like  beads  of  wampum. 
Saw  the  yellow  perch,  the  Sahwa, 
Like  a  sunbeam  in  the  water, 
Saw  the  pike,  the  Maskenozha, 
50  And  the  herring,  Okahahwis, 

And  the  Shawgashee,  the  craw-fish, 
''Master  of  Life!"  he  cried,  desponding, 
"Must  our  lives  depend  on  these  things?" 
On  the  fourth  day  of  his  fasting 
55  In  his  lodge  he  lay  exhausted ; 

From  his  couch  of  leaves  and  branches 
Gazing  with  half -open  eyelids. 
Full  of  shadowy  dreams  and  visions, 
On  the  dizzy,  swimming  landscape, 
60  On  the  gleaming  of  the  water, 


no  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

On  the  splendor  of  the  sunset. 

And  he  saw  a  youth  approaching, 
Dressed  in  garments  green  and  yellow 
Coming  through  the  purple  twilight, 

65  Through  the  splendor  of  the  sunset ; 

Plumes  of  green  bent  o'er  his  forehead, 
And  his  hair  was  soft  and  golden. 
Standing  at  the  open  doorway, 
Long  he  looked  at  Hiawatha, 

70  Looked  with  pity  and  compassion 

On  his  wasted  form  and  features. 
And,  in  accents  like  the  sighing 
Of  the  South- Wind  in  the  tree-tops, 
Said  he,  *'0  my  Hiawatha! 

75  All  your  prayers  are  heard  in  heaven. 

For  you  pray  not  like  the  others; 
Not  for  greater  skill  in  hunting. 
Not  for  greater  craft  in  fishing. 
Not  for  triumph  in  the  battle, 

80  Nor  renown  among  the  warriors. 

But  for  profit  of  the  people. 
For  advantages  of  the  nations. 

''From  the  Master  of  Life  descending, 
I,  the  friend  of  man,  Mondamin, 

85  Come  to  warn  you  and  instruct  you. 

How  by  struggle  and  by  labor 
You  shall  gain  what  you  have  prayed  for. 
Rise  up  from  your  bed  of  branches, 
Rise,  O  youth,  and  wrestle  with  me  I" 

90  Faint  with  famine,  Hiawatha 

Started  from  his  bed  of  branches. 
From  the  twilight  of  his  wigwam 
Forth  into  the  flush  of  sunset 
Came,  and  wrestled  with  Mondamin; 

95  At  his  touch  he  felt  new  courage 


THE   SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  iii 

Throbbing  in  his  brain  and  bosom, 

Felt  new  life  and  hope  and  vigor 

Run  through  every  nerve  and  fibre. 

So  they  wrestled  there  together 
loo  In  the  glory  of  the  sunset, 

And  the  more  they  strove  and  struggled, 

Stronger  still  grew  Hiawatha; 

Till  the  darkness  fell  around  them, 

And  the  heron,  the  Shuh-shuh-gah, 
105  From  her  haunts  among  the  fenlands, 

Gave  a  cry  of  lamentation. 

Gave  a  scream  of  pain  and  famine. 
"'Tis  enough!"  then  said  Mondamin, 

Smiling  upon  Hiawatha, 
no  "But  to-morrow,  when  the  sun  sets, 

I  will  come  again  to  try  you." 

And  he  vanished,  and  was  seen  not; 

Whether  sinking  as  the  rain  sinks. 

Whether  rising  as  the  mists  rise, 
115  Hiawatha  saw  not,  knew  not. 

Only  saw  that  he  had  vanished. 

Leaving  him  alone  and  fainting. 

With  the  misty  lake  below  him. 

And  the  reeling  stars  above  him. 
120  On  the  morrow  and  the  next  day, 

When  the  sun  through  heaven  descending 

Like  a  red  and  burning  cinder, 

From  the  hearth  of  the  Great  Spirit, 

Fell  into  the  western  waters, 
125  Came  Mondamin  for  the  trial. 

For  the  strife  with  Hiawatha ; 

Came  as  silent  as  the  dew  comes. 

From  the  empty  air  appearing. 

Into  empty  air  returning, 
130  Taking  shape  when  earth  it  touches, 


112  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

But  invisible  to  all  men 
In  its  coming  and  its  going. 
Thrice  they  wrestled  there  together 
In  the  glory  of  the  sunset, 

13s  Till  the  darkness  fell  around  them, 

Till  the  heron,  the  Shuh-shuh-gah, 
From  her  haunts  among  the  fenlands, 
Uttered  her  loud  cry  of  famine. 
And  Mondamin  paused  to  listen. 

140  Tall  and  beautiful  he  stood  there. 

In  his  garments  green  and  yellow; 
To  and  fro  his  plumes  above  him 
Waved  and  nodded  with  his  breathing, 
And  the  sweat  of  the  encounter 

145  Stood  like  drops  of  dew  upon  him. 

And  he  cried,  "O  Hiawatha! 
Bravely  have  you  wrestled  with  me. 
Thrice  have  wrestled  stoutly  with  me. 
And  the  Master  of  Life,  who  sees  us, 

150  He  will  give  to  you  the  triumph ! " 

Then  he  smiled,  and  said,  "To-morrow 
Is  the  last  day  of  your  conflict. 
Is  the  last  day  of  your  fasting. 
You  will  conquer  and  o'ercome  me; 

155  Make  a  bed  for  me  to  lie  in. 

Where  the  rain  may  fall  upon  me, 
Where  the  sun  may  come  and  warm  me; 
Strip  these  garments,  green  and  yellow. 
Strip  this  nodding  plumage  from  me, 

160  Lay  me  in  the  earth,  and  make  it 

Soft  and  loose  and  light  above  me. 
Let  no  hand  disturb  my  slumber. 
Let  no  weed  nor  worm  molest  me, 
Let  not  Kahgahgee,  the  raven, 

165  Come  to  haunt  me  and  molest  me, 


THE   SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  113 

Only  come  yourself  to  watch  me, 
Till  I  wake,  and  start,  and  quicken, 
Till  I  leap  into  the  sunshine." 
And  thus  saying,  he  departed; 
170  Peacefully  slept  Hiawatha, 

But  he  heard  the  Wawonaissa, 
Heard  the  whippoorwill  comj)laining, 
Perched  upon  his  lonely  wigwam; 
Heard  the  rushing  Sebowisha, 
175  Heard  the  rivulet  rippling  near  him, 

Talking  to  the  darksome  forest; 
Heard  the  sighing  of  the  branches. 
As  they  lifted  and  subsided 
At  the  passing  of  the  night-wind, 
180  Heard  them,  as  one  hears  in  slumber 

Far-off  murmurs,  dreamy  whispers: 
Peacefully  slept  Hiawatha. 

On  the  morrow  came  Nokomis, 
On  the  seventh  day  of  h  s  fasting, 
185  Came  with  food  for  Hiawatha, 

Came  imploring  and  bewailing, 
Lest  his  hunger  should  o'ercome  him, 
Lest  his  fasting  should  be  fatal. 
But  he  tasted  not,  and  touched  not, 
190  Only  said  to  her,  ''Nokomis, 

Wait  until  the  sun  is  setting. 
Till  the  darkness  falls  arounds  us. 
Till  the  heron,  the  Shuh-shuh-gah, 
Crying  from  the  desolate  marshes, 
195  Tellsusthat  the  day  is  ended." 

Homeward  weeping  went  Nokomis, 
Sorrowing  for  her  Hiawatha, 
Fearing  lest  his  strength  should  fail  him. 
Lest  his  fasting  should  be  fatal. 
200  He  meanwhile  sat  weary  waiting 


114  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

For  the  coming  of  Mondamin, 
Till  the  shadows,  pointing  eastward, 
Lengthened  over  field  and  forest, 
Till  the  sun  dropped  from  the  heaven, 

205  Floating  on  the  waters  westward, 

As  a  red  leaf  in  the  Autumn 
Falls  and  floats  upon  the  water, 
Falls  and  sinks  into  its  bosom. 
And  behold !  the  young  Mondamin, 

aio  With  his  soft  and  shining  tresses, 

With  his  garments  green  and  yellow, 
With  his  long  and  glossy  plumage. 
Stood  and  beckoned  at  the  doorway. 
And  as  one  in  slumber  walking, 

215  Pale  and  haggard,  but  undaunted. 

From  the  wigwam  Hiawatha 
Came  and  wrestled  with  Mondamin. 

Round  about  him  spun  the  landscape, 
Sky  and  forest  reeled  together, 

220  And  his  strong  heart  leaped  within  him, 

As  the  sturgeon  leaps  and  struggles 
In  a  net  to  break  its  meshes. 
Like  a  ring  of  fire  around  him 
Blazed  and  flared  the  red  horizon, 

225  And  a  hundred  suns  seemed  looking 

At  the  combat  of  the  wrestlers. 

Suddenly  upon  the  greensward 
All  alone  stood  Hiawatha, 
Panting  with  his  wild  exertion, 

230  Palpitating  with  the  struggle; 

And  before  him,  breathless,  lifeless, 
Lay  the  youth,  with  hair  dishevelled, 
Plumage  torn,  and  garments  tattered, 
Dead  he  lay  there  in  the  sunset. 

23s  And  victorious  Hiawatha 


THE  SONG   OF  HIAWATHA  115 

Made  the  grave  as  he  commanded, 
Stripped  the  garments  from  Mondamin, 
Stripped  his  tattered  plumage  from  him, 
Laid  him  in  the  earth,  and  made  it 
Soft  and  loose  and  light  above  him; 
And  the  heron,  the  Shuh-shuh-gah, 
From  the  melancholy  moorlands, 
Gave  a  cry  of  lamentation, 
Gave  a  cry  of  pain  and  anguish! 

Homeward  then  went  Hiawatha 
To  the  lodge  of  old  Nokomis, 
And  the  seven  days  of  his  fasting 
Were  accomplished  and  completed. 
But  the  place  was  not  forgotten 
Where  he  wrestled  with  Mondamin; 
Nor  forgotten  nor  neglected 
Was  the  grave  where  lay  Mondamin, 
Sleeping  in  the  rain  and  sunshine, 
Where  his  scattered  plumes  and  garments 
Faded  in  the  rain  and  sunshine. 

Day  by  day  did  Hiawatha 
Go  to  wait  and  watch  beside  it; 
Kept  the  dark  mold  soft  above  it, 
Kept  it  clean  from  weeds  and  insects. 
Drove  away  with  scoffs  and  shoutings, 
Kahgahgee,  the  king  of  ravens. 

Till  at  length  a  small  green  feather 
From  the  earth  shot  slowly  upward, 
Then  another  and  another. 
And  before  the  Summer  ended 
Stood  the  maize  in  all  its  beauty, 
With  its  shining  robes  about  it. 
And  its  long,  soft,  yellow  tresses; 
And  in  rapture  Hiawatha 
Cried  aloud,  "It  is  Mondamin! 


ii6  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Yes,  the  frien^  of  man,  Mondamin!" 

Then  he  called  to  old  Nokomis 
And  lagoo,  the  great  boaster. 
Showed  them  where  the  maize  was  growing, 

275  Told  them  of  his  wondrous  vision. 

Of  his  wrestling  and  his  triumph, 
Of  this  new  gift  to  the  nations. 
Which  should  be  their  food  forever. 
And  still  later,  when  the  Autumn 

aSo  Changed  the  long,  green  leaves  to  yellow, 

And  the  soft  and  juicy  kernels 
Grew  like  wampum  hard  and  yellow, 
Then  the  ripened  ears  he  gathered. 
Stripped  the  withered  husks  from  off  them, 

385  As  he  once  had  stripped  the  wrestler. 

Gave  the  first  feast  of  Mondamin, 
And  made  known  unto  the  people 
This  new  gift  of  the  Great  Spirit. 


VI 

Hiawatha's  Friends 

Two  good  friends  had  Hiawatha, 
Singled  out  from  all  the  others. 
Bound  to  him  in  closest  union. 
And  to  whom  he  gave  the  right  hand 
Of  his  heart,  in  joy  and  sorrow ; 
Chibiabos,  the  musician. 
And  the  very  strong  man,  Kwasind. 

Straight  between  them  ran  the  pathway, 
Never  grew  the  grass  upon  it ; 
Singing  birds,  that  utter  falsehoods, 
Story-tellers,  mischief-makers. 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  117 

Found  no  eager  ear  to  listen, 

Could  not  breed  ill-will  between  them, 

For  they  kept  each  other's  counsel, 
15  Spake  with  naked  hearts  together, 

Pondering  much  and  much  contriving 

How  the  tribes  of  men  might  prosper. 
Most  beloved  by  Hiawatha 

Was  the  gentle  Chibiabos, 
20  He  the  best  of  all  musicians. 

He  the  sweetest  of  all  singers. 

Beautiful  and  childlike  was  he, 

Brave  as  man  is,  soft  as  woman, 

Pliant  as  a  wand  of  willow, 
25  Stately  as  a  deer  with  antlers. 

When  he  sang,  the  village  listened ; 

All  the  warriors  gathered  round  him. 

All  the  women  came  to  hear  him ; 

Now  he  stirred  their  souls  to  passion, 
30  Now  he  melted  them  to  pity. 

From  the  hollow  reeds  he  fashioned 

Flutes  so  musical  and  mellow, 

That  the  brook,  the  Sebowisha, 

Ceased  to  murmur  in  the  woodland, 
35  That  the  wood-birds  ceased  from  singing, 

And  the  squirrel,  Adjidaumo, 

Ceased  his  chatter  in  the  oak-tree. 

And  the  rabbit,  the  Wabasso, 

Sat  upright  to  look  and  listen. 
40  Yes,  the  brook,  the  Sebowisha, 

Pausing,  said,  "O  Chibiabos, 

Teach  my  waves  to  flow  in  music, 

Softly  as  your  words  in  singing!" 
Yes,  the  bluebird,  the  Owaissa, 
45  Envious,  said,  "O  Chibiabos, 

Teach  me  tones  as  wild  and  wayward, 


ii8  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Teach  me  songs  as  full  of  frenzy!" 

Yes,  the  robin,  the  Opechee, 
Joyous,  said,  "O  Chibiabos, 

50  Teach  me  tones  as  sweet  and  tender. 

Teach  me  songs  as  full  of  gladness!" 

And  the  whippoorwill,  Wawonaissa, 
Sobbing,  said,  "O  Chibiabos, 
Teach  me  tones  as  melancholy, 

55  Teach  me  songs  as  full  of  sadness!" 

All  the  many  sounds  of  nature 
Borrowed  sweetness  from  his  singing; 
All  the  hearts  of  men  were  softened 
By  the  pathos  of  his  music; 

60  For  he  sang  of  peace  and  freedom. 

Sang  of  beauty,  love,  and  longing; 
Sang  of  death,  and  life  undying 
In  the  Islands  of  the  Blessed, 
In  the  kingdom  of  Ponemah, 

65  In  the  land  of  the  Hereafter. 

Very  dear  to  Hiawatha 
Was  the  gentle  Chibiabos, 
He  the  best  of  all  musicians. 
He  the  sweetest  of  all  singers; 

70  For  his  gentleness  he  loved  him. 

And  the  magic  of  his  singing. 

Dear,  too,  unto  Hiawatha 
Was  the  very  strong  man,  Kwasind, 
He  the  strongest  of  all  mortals, 

75  He  the  mightiest  among  many; 

For  his  very  strength  he  loved  him. 
For  his  strength  allied  to  goodness. 

Idle  in  his  youth  was  Kwasind, 
Very  listless,  dull,  and  dreamy, 

80  Never  played  with  other  children, 

Never  fished  and  never  hunted, 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  119 

Not  like  other  children  was  he; 
But  they  saw  that  much  he  fasted, 
Much  his  Manito  entreated, 
85  Much  besought  his  Guardian  Spirit. 

"Lazy  Kwasind!"  said  his  mother, 
"In  my  work  you  never  help  me! 
In  the  Summer  you  are  roaming 
Idly  in  the  fields  and  forests ; 
90  In  the  Winter  you  are  cowering 

O'er  the  firebrands  in  the  wigwam! 
In  the  coldest  days  of  Winter 
I  must  break  the  ice  for  fishing; 
With  my  nets  you  never  help  me ! 
95  At  the  door  my  nets  are  hanging. 

Dripping,  freezing  with  the  water; 
Go  and  wring  them,  Yenadizze! 
Go  and  dry  them  in  the  sunshine!" 
Slowly,  from  the  ashes,  Kwasind 
100  Rose,  but  made  no  angry  answer; 

From  the  lodge  went  forth  in  silence, 
Took  the  nets  that  hung  together. 
Dripping,  freezing  at  t"he  doorway. 
Like  a  wisp  of  straw  he  wrung  them, 
105  Like  a  wisp  of  straw  he  broke  them. 

Could  not  wring  them  without  breaking, 
Such  the  strength  was  in  his  fingers. 
"Lazy  Kwasind!"  said  his  father; 
"  In  the  hunt  you  never  help  me ; 
1 10  Every  bow  you  touch  is  broken. 

Snapped  asunder  every  arrow; 
Yet  come  with  me  to  the  forest; 
You  shall  bring  the  hunting  homeward." 
Down  a  narrow  pass  they  wandered, 
115  Where  a  brooklet  led  them  onward, 

Where  the  trail  of  deer  and  bison 


I20  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Marked  the  soft  mud  on  the  margin, 
Till  they  found  all  further  passage 
Shut  against  them,  barred  securely 

I20  By  the  trunks  of  trees  uprooted. 

Lying  lengthwise,  lying  crosswise, 
And  forbidding  further  passage. 

"We  must  go  back,*'  said  the  old  man, 
"O'er  these  logs  we  cannot  clamber; 

125  Not  a  woodchuck  could  get  through  them. 

Not  a  squirrel  clamber  o'er  them!" 
And  straightway  his  pipe  he  lighted, 
And  sat  down  to  smoke  and  ponder. 
But  before' his  pipe  was  finished, 

130  Lol  the  path  was  cleared  before  him; 

All  the  trunks  had  Kwasind  lifted, 
To  the  right  hand,  to  the  left  hand. 
Shot  the  pine-trees  swift  as  arrows. 
Hurled  the  cedars  light  as  lances. 

135  "  Lazy  Kwasind ! "  said  the  young  men. 

As  they  sported  in  the  meadow : 
'Why  stand  idly  looking  at  us. 
Leaning  on  the  rock  behind  you  ? 
Come  and  wrestle  with  the  others, 

140  Let  us  pitch  the  quoit  together!" 

Lazy  Kwasind  made  no  answer. 
To  their  challenge  made  no  answer, 
Only  rose,  and,  slowly  turning. 
Seized  the  huge  rock  in  his  fingers, 

14s  Tore  it  from  its  deep  foundation, 

Poised  it  in  the  air  a  moment, 
Pitched  it  sheer  into  the  river. 
Sheer  into  the  swift  Pauwating, 
Where  it  still  is  seen  in  Summer. 

150  Once  as  down  that  foaming  river, 

Down  the  rapids  of  Pauwating, 


THE  SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  121 

Kwasind  sailed  with  his  companions, 
In  the  stream  he  saw  a  beaver, 
Saw  Ahmeek,  the  King  of  Beavers, 
Strugghng  with  the  rushing  currents, 
Rising,  sinking  in  the  water. 
Without  speaking,  without  pausing, 
Kwasind  leaped  into  the  river, 
Plunged  beneath  the  bubbling  surface, 
Through  the  whirlpools  chased  the  beaver, 
Followed  him  among  the  islands. 
Stayed  so  long  beneath  the  water, 
That  his  terrified  companions 
Cried,  ''Alas!  good-bye  to  Kwasind! 
We  shall  never  more  see  Kwasind!" 
But  he  reappeared  triumphant, 
And  upon  his  shining  shoulders 
Brought  the  beaver,  dead  and  dripping. 
Brought  the  King  of  all  the  Beavers. 
And  these  two,  as  I  have  told  you, 
Were  the  friends  of  Hiawatha, 
Chibiabos,  the  musician, 
And  the  very  strong  man,  Kwasind. 
Long  they  lived  in  peace  together. 
Spake  with  naked  hearts  together. 
Pondering  much  and  much  contriving 
How  the  tribes  of  men  might  prosper. 


VH 

Hiawatha's  Sailing 


"Give  me  of  your  bark,  O  Birch-Tree! 
Of  your  yellow  bark,  O  Birch-Tree! 
Growing  by  the  rushing  river. 
Tall  and  stately  in  the  valley! 


122  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

5  la  light  canoe  will  build  me, 

Build  a  swift  Cheemaun  for  sailing, 
That  shall  float  upon  the  river. 
Like  a  yellow  leaf  in  Autumn, 
Like  a  yellow  water-lily! 

lo  '* Lay  aside  your  cloak,  O  Birch-Tree! 

Lay  aside  your  white-skin  wrapper. 
For  the  Summer-time  is  coming, 
And  the  sun  is  warm  in  heaven, 
And  you  need  no  white-skin  wrapper!" 

IS  Thus  aloud  cried  Hiawatha 

In  the  solitary  forest, 
By  the  rushing  Taquamenaw, 
,   While  the  birds  were  singing  gayly, 
In  the  Moon  of  Leaves  were  singing, 

20  And  the  sun,  from  sleep  awaking. 

Started  up  and  said,  "Behold  me! 
Geezis,  the  great  Sun,  behold  me!" 
And  the  tree  with  all  its  branches 
Rustled  in  the  breeze  of  morning, 

25  Saying,  with  a  sigh  of  patience, 

''Take  my  cloak,  O  Hiawatha!" 

With  his  knife  the  tree  he  girdled ; 
Just  beneath  its  lowest  branches, 
Just  above  the  roots,  he  cut  it, 

30  Till  the  sap  came  oozing  outward ; 

Down  the  trunk,  from  top  to  bottom, 
Sheer  he  cleft  the  bark  asunder. 
With  a  wooden  wedge  he  raised  it. 
Stripped  it  from  the  trunk  unbroken. 

35  "  Give  me  of  your  boughs,  O  Cedar! 

Of  your  strong  and  pliant  branches. 
My  canoe  to  make  more  steady. 
Make  more  strong  and  firm  beneath  me!" 
Through  the  summit  of  the  Cedar 


THE  SONG   OF  HIAWATHA  123 

40  Went  a  sound,  a  cry  of  horror, 

Went  a  murmur  of  resistance; 
But  it  whispered,  bending  downward, 
''Take  my  boughs,  O  Hiawatha!" 

Down  he  hewed  the  boughs  of  cedar, 
45  .  Shaped  them  straightway  to  a  framework 

Like  two  bows  he  formed  and  shaped  them, 
Like  two  bended  bows  together. 

"Give  me  of  your  roots,  O  Tamarackl 
Of  your  fibrous  roots,  O  Larch-Tree  1 
50  My  canoe  to  bind  together. 

So  to  bind  the  ends  together 
That  the  water  may  not  enter. 
That  the  river  may  not  wet  me!" 
And  the  larch,  with  all  its  fibres, 
55  Shivered  in  the  air  of  morning, 

Touched  his  forehead  with  its  tassels, 
Said  with  one  long  sigh  of  sorrow, 
"Take  them  all,  O  Hiawatha!" 

From  the  earth  he  tore  the  fibres, 
60  Tore  the  tough  roots  of  the  Larch-Tree, 

Closely  sewed  the  bark  together. 
Bound  it  closely  to  the  framework. 

"  Give  me  of  your  balm,  O  Fir-Tree! 
Of  your  balsam  and  your  resin, 
65  So  to  close  the  seams  together 

That  the  w^ater  may  not  enter. 
That  the  river  may  not  wet  me!" 

And  the  Fir-Tree,  tall  and  sombre. 
Sobbed  through  all  it  robes  of  darkness, 
70  Rattled  like  a  shore  with  pebbles, 

Answered  wailing,  answered  weeping, 
''Take  my  balm,  O  Hiawatha!" 
And  he  took  the  tears  of  balsam. 
Took  the  resin  of  the  Fir-Tree, 


124  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

75  Smeared  therewith  each  seam  and  fissure, 

Made  each  crevice  safe  from  water. 

"Give  me  of  your  quills,  O  Hedgehog! 
All  your  quills,  O  Kagh,  the  Hedgehog  I 
I  will  make  a  necklace  of  them, 
80  Make  a  girdle  for  my  beauty. 

And  two  stars  to  deck  her  bosom!" 

From  the  hollow  tree  the  Hedgehog 
With  his  sleepy  eyes  looked  at  him, 
Shot  his  shining  quills,  like  arrows, 
85  Saying,  with  a  drowsy  murmur. 

Through  the  tangle  of  his  whiskers, 
''Take  my  quills,  O  Hiawatha!" 

From  the  ground  the  quills  he  gathered, 
All  the  little  shining  arrows, 
90  Stained  them  red  and  blue  and  yellow, 

With  the  juice  of  roots  and  berries; 
Into  his  canoe  he  wrought  them, 
Round  its  waist  a  shining  girdle. 
Round  its  bows  a  gleaming  necklace, 
95  On  its  breast  two  stars  resplendent. 

Thus  the  Birch  Canoe  was  builded 
In  the  valley,  by  the  river. 
In  the  bosom  of  the  forest ; 
And  the  forest's  hfe  was  in  it, 
100  All  its  mystery  and  its  magic, 

All  the  lightness  of  the  birch-tree. 
All  the  toughness  of  the  cedar. 
All  the  larch's  supple  sinews; 
And  it  floated  on  the  river 
105  Like  a  yellow  leaf  in  Autumn, 

Like  a  yellow  water  lily. 
•  Paddles  none  had  Hiawatha,    . 

Paddles  none  he  had  or  needed. 
For  his  thoughts  as  paddles  served  him, 


THE   SONG   OF  HIAWATHA  125 

;  10  And  his  wishes  served  to  guide  him ; 

Swift  or  slow  at  will  he  glided, 

Veered  to  right  or  left  at  pleasure. 
Then  he  called  aloud  to  Kwasind, 

To  his  friend,  the  strong  man,  Kwasind, 
15  Saying,  "Help  me  clear  this  river 

Of  its  sunken  logs  and  sand-bars." 
Straight  into  the  river  Kwasind 

Plunged  as  if  he  were  an  otter. 

Dove  as  if  he  were  a  beaver, 
:2o  Stood  up  to  his  waist  in  water. 

To  his  arm-pits  in  the  river. 

Swam  and  shouted  in  the  river. 

Tugged  at  sunken  logs  and  branches,  ■   ■ 

With  his  hands  he  scooped  the  sand-bars, 
[25  With  his  feet  the  ooze  and  tangle. 

And  thus  sailed  my  Hiawatha 

Down  the  rushing  Taquamenaw, 

Sailed  through  all  its  bends  and  windings. 

Sailed  through  all  its  deeps  and  shallows, 
[30  While  his  friend,  the  strong  man,  Kwasind, 

Swam  the  deeps,  the  shallows  waded. 
Up  and  down  the  river  went  they, 

In  and  out  among  the  islands. 

Cleared  its  bed  of  root  and  sand-bar, 
t35  Dragged  the  dead  trees  from  its  channel, 

Made  its  passage  safe  and  certain. 

Made  a  pathway  for  the  people, 

From  its  springs  among  the  mountains, 

To  the  water  of  Pauwating, 
140  To  the  bay  of  Taquamenaw. 


126  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

VIII 

Hiawatha's  Fishing 

Forth  upon  the  Gitche  Gumee, 
On  the  shining  Big-Sea- Water, 
With  his  fishing-line  of  cedar, 
Of  the  twisted  bark  of  cedar, 
5  Forth  to  catch  the  sturgeon  Nahma, 

Mishe-Nahma,  King  of  Fishes, 
In  his  birch  canoe  exulting 
All  alone  went  Hiawatha. 
Through  the  clear,  transparent  water 
lo  He  could  see  the  fishes  swimming 

Far  down  in  the  depths  below  him; 
See  the  yellow  perch,  the  Sahwa, 
Like  a  sunbeam  in  the  water, 
See  the  Shawgashee,  the  craw-fish, 
15  Like  a  spider  on  the  bottom. 

On  the  white  and  sandy  bottom. 

At  the  stem  sat  Hiawatha, 
With  his  fishing-line  of  cedar; 
In  his  plumes  the  breeze  of  morning 

20  Played  as  in  the  hemlock  branches; 

On  the  bows,  with  tail  erected, 
Sat  the  squirrel,  Adjidaumo; 
In  his  fur  the  breeze  of  morning 
Played  as  in  the  prairie  grasses. 

25  On  the  white  sand  of  the  bottom 

Lay  the  monster  Mishe-Nahma, 
Lay  the  sturgeon.  King  of  Fishes; 
Through  his  gills  he  breathed  the  water, 
With  his  fins  he  fanned  and  winnowed, 

30  With  his  tail  he  swept  the  sand -floor. 

There  he  lay  in  all  his  armor; 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  1.27 

On  each  side  a  shield  to  guard  him, 
Plates  of  bone  upon  his  forehead, 
Down  his  sides  and  back  and  shoulders 
35  Plates  of  bone,  with  spines  projectmg! 

Painted  was  he  with  his  war-paints, 
Stripes  of  yellow,  red,  and  azure. 
Spots  of  brown  and  spots  of  sable; 
And  he  lay  there  on  the  bottom, 
40  Fanning  with  his  fins  of  purple. 

As  above  him  Hiawatha 
In  his  birch  canoe  came  sailing, 
*  With  his  fishing  line  of  cedar. 

"Take  my  bait,"  cried  Hiawatha, 
45  Down  into  the  depths  beneath  him, 

"Take  my  bait,  O  Sturgeon,  Nahma! 
Come  up  from  below  the  water. 
Let  us  see  which  is  the  stronger!" 
And  he  dropped  his  line  of  cedar 
50  Through  the  clear,  transparent  water, 

Waited  vainly  for  an  answer. 
Long  sat  waiting  for  an  answer. 
And  repeating  loud  and  louder, 
"Take  my  bait,  O  King  of  Fishes!" 
55  Quiet  lay  the  sturgeon,  Nahma, 

Fanning  slowly  in  the  water. 
Looking  up  at  Hiawatha, 
Listening  to  his  call  and  clamor, 
His  unnecessary  tumult, 
60  Till  he  wearied  of  the  shouting; 

And  he  said  to  the  Kenozha, 
To  the  pike,  the  Maskenozha, 
"Take  the  bait  of  this  rude  fellow, 
Break  the  line  of  Hiawatha!" 
65  In  his  fingers  Hiawatha 

Felt  the  loose  line  jerk  and  tighten; 


128  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

As  he  drew  it  in,  he  tugged  so 

That  the  birch  canoe  stood  endwise, 

Like  a  birch  log  in  the  water, 

70  With  the  squirrel,  Adjidaumo, 

Perched  and  frisking  on  the  summit. 

Full  of  scorn  was  Hiawatha 
When  he  saw  the  fish  rise  upward, 
Saw  the  pike,  the  Maskenozha, 

75  Coming  nearer,  nearer  to  him, 

And  he  shouted  through  the  water, 
"Esal  esal  shame  upon  you  I 
You  are  but  the  pike,  Kenozha, 
You  are  not  the  fish  I  wanted, 

80  You  are  not  the  King  of  fishes ! " 

Reeling  downward  to  the  bottom 
Sank  the  pike  in  great  confusion, 
And  the  mighty  sturgeon,  Nahma, 
Said  to  Ugudwash,  the  sun-fish, 

75  *'  Take  the  bait  of  this  great  boaster. 

Break  the  line  of  Hiawatha!" 

Slowly  upward,  wavering,  gleaming, 
Like  a  white  moon  in  the  water, 
Rose  the  Ugudwash,  the  sun- fish, 

90  Seized  the  line  of  Hiawatha, 

Swung  with  all  his  weight  upon  it, 
Made  a  whirlpool  in  the  water. 
Whirled  the  birch  canoe  in  circles, 
Round  and  round  in  gurgling  eddies, 

95  Till  the  circles  in  the  water 

Reached  the  far-off,  sandy  beaches, 
Till  the  water  flags  and  rushes 
Nodded  on  the  distant  margins. 
But  when  Hiawatha  saw  him 
100  Slowly  rising  through  the  water. 

Lifting  his  great  disc  of  whiteness, 


THE   SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  129 

Loud  he  shouted  in  derision, 
*'Esa!  esa!  shame  upon  you! 

You  are  Ugudwash,  the  sun-fish, 
T05  You  are  not  the  fish  I  wanted. 

You  are  not  the  King  of  Fishes!" 

Wavering  downward,  white  and  ghastly. 

Sank  the  Ugudwash,  the  sun-fish, 

And  again  the  sturgeon,  Nahma, 
no  Heard  the  shout  of  Hiawatha, 

Heard  his  challenge  of  defiance, 

The  unnecessary  tumult, 

Ringing  far  across  the  water. 

From  the  white  sand  of  the  bottom 
115  Up  he  rose  with  angry  gesture, 

Quivering  in  each  nerve  and  fibre, 

Clashing  all  his  plates  of  armor, 

Gleaming  bright  with  all  his  war-paint; 

In  his  wrath  he  darted  upward, 
120  Flashing  leaped  into  the  sunshine, 

Opened  his  great  jaws,  and  swallowed 

Both  canoe  and  Hiawatha. 

Down  into  that  darksome  cavern 

Plunged  the  headlong  Hiawatha, 
125  As  a  log  on  some  black  river 

Shoots  and  plunges  down  the  rapids. 

Found  himself  in  utter  darkness, 

Groped  about  in  helpless  wonder, 

Till  he  felt  a  great  heart  beating, 
130  Throbbing  in  that  utter  darkness. 

And  he  smote  it  in  his  anger. 

With  his  fist,  the  heart  of  Nahma, 

Felt  the  mighty  King  of  Fishes 

Shudder  through  each  nerve  and  fibre, 
135  Heard  the  water  gurgle  round  him 

As  he  leaped  and  staggered  through  it, 


I30  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Sick  at  heart,  and  faint  and  weary. 

Crosswise  then  did  Hiawatha 
Drag  his  birch  canoe  for  safety, 

140  Lest  from  out  the  jaws  of  Nahma, 

In  the  turmoil  and  confusion. 
Forth  he  might  be  hurled  and  perish. 
And  the  squirrel,  Adjidaumo, 
Frisked  and  chattered  very  gayly, 

145'  Toiled  and  tugged  with  Hiawatha, 

Till  the  labor  was  completed. 
Then  said  Hiawatha  to  him, 
"  O  my  little  friend,  the  squirrel. 
Bravely  have  you  toiled  to  help  me; 

150  Take  the  thanks  of  Hiawatha 

And  the  name  which  now  he  gives  you; 
For  hereafter  and  forever 
Boys  shall  call  you  Adjidaumo, 
Tail-in-air  the  boys  shall  call  youl" 

155  And  again  the  sturgeon,  Nahma, 

Gasped  and  quivered  in  the  water. 
Then  was  still,  and  drifted  landward 
Till  he  grated  on  the  pebbles. 
Till  the  listening  Hiawatha 

160  Heard  him  grate  upon  the  margin, 

Felt  him  strand  upon  the  pebbles, 
Knew  that  Nahma,  King  of  Fishes, 
Lay  there  dead  upon  the  margin. 
Then  he  heard  a  clang  and  flapping, 

165  As  of  many  wings  assembling, 

Heard  a  screaming  and  confusion. 
As  of  birds  of  prey  contending. 
Saw  a  gleam  of  light  above  him. 
Shining  through  the  ribs  of  Nahma, 

170  Saw  the  glittering  eyes  of  sea-gulls, 

Of  Kayoshk,  the  sea-gulls,  peering. 


THE  SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  131 

Gazing  at  him  through  the  opening, 

Heard  them  saying  to  each  other, 
"'Tis  our  brother,  Hiawatha!" 
175  And  he  shouted  from  below  them, 

Cried  exulting  from  the  caverns; 
"O  ye  sea-gulls!     O  my  brothers! 

I  have  slain  the  sturgeon,  Nahma; 

Make  the  rifts  a  little  larger, 
180  With  your  claws  the  openings  widen, 

Set  me  free  from  this  dark  prison. 

And  henceforward  and  forever 

Men  shall  speak  of  your  achievements, 

Calling  you  Kayoshk,  the  sea-gulls, 
185  Yes,  Kayoshk,  the  Noble  Scratchers!" 

And  the  w^ild  and  clamorous  sea-gulls 

Toiled  with  beak  and  claws  together. 

Made  the  rifts  and  openings  wider 

In  the  mighty  ribs  of  Nahma, 
190  And  from  peril  and  from  prison. 

From  the  body  of  the  sturgeon, 

From  the  peril  of  the  water. 

Was  released  my  Hiawatha. 
He  was  standing  near  his  wigwam, 
195  On  the  margin  of  the  water. 

And  he  called  to  old  Nokomis, 

Called  and  beckoned  to  Nokomis, 

Pointed  to  the  sturgeon,  Nahma, 

Lying  lifeless  on  the  pebbles, 
200  With  the  sea-gulls  feeding  on  him. 

"I  have  slain  the  Mishe-Nahma, 

Slain  the  King  of  Fishes!"  said  he; 
"Look!  the  sea-gulls  feed  upon  him, 

Yes,  my  friends  Kayoshk,  the  sea-gulls; 
205  Drive  them  not  away,  Nokomis, 

They  have  saved  me  from  great  peril 


132  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

In  the  body  of  the  sturgeon, 

Wait  until  their  meal  is  ended, 

Till  their  craws  are  full  with  feasting, 

f.ro  Till  they  homeward  fly,  at  sunset, 

To  their  nests  among  the  marshes; 
Then  bring  all  your  pots  and  kettles. 
And  make  oil  for  us  in  Winter." 
And  she  waited  till  the  sun  set, 

215  Till  the  pallid  moon,  the  Night-sun, 

Rose  above  the  tranquil  water, 
Till  Kayoshk,  the  sated  sea-gulls, 
From  their  banquet  rose  with  clamor, 
And  across  the  fiery  sunset 

220  Winged  their  way  to  far-off  islands, 

To  their  nests  among  the  rushes. 

To  his  sleep  went  Hiawatha, 
And  Nokomis  to  her  labor. 
Toiling  patient  in  the  moonlight, 

225  Till  the  sun  and  moon  changed  places, 

Till  the  sky  was  red  with  sun-rise. 
And  Kayoshk,  the  hungry  sea-gulls. 
Came  back  from  the  reedy  islands, 
Clamorous  for  their  morning  banquet. 

230  Three  whole  days  and  nights  alternate 

Old  Nokomis  and  the  sea-gulls 
Stripped  the  oily  flesh  of  Nahma, 
Till  the  waves  washed  through  the  rib-bones, 
Till  the  sea-gulls  came  no  longer, 

235  And  upon  the  sands  lay  nothing 

But  the  skeleton  of  Nahma. 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  133 

IX 
Hiawatha  and  the  Pearl-Feather 

On  the  shores  of  Gitche  Gumee, 

Of  the  shining  Big-Sea- Water, 

Stood  Nokomis,  the  old  woman, 

Pointing  with  her  finger  westward, 
5  O'er  the  water  pointing  westward 

To  the  purple  clouds  of  sunset. 
Fiercely  the  red  sun  descending 

Burned  his  way  along  the  heavens, 

Set  the  sky  on  fire  behind  him, 
10  As  war-parties  when  retreating, 

Bum  the  prairies  on  their  war-trail; 

And  the  moon,  the  Night-sun,  eastward. 

Suddenly  starting  from  his  ambush, 

Followed  fast  those  bloody  footprints, 
15  Followed  in  that  fiery  war-trail, 

With  its  glare  upon  his  features. 
And  Nokomis,  the  old  woman. 

Pointing  with  her  finger  westward, 

Spake  these  words  to  Hiawatha: 
20  "Yonder  dwells  the  great  Pearl-Feather, 

Megissogwon,  the  Magician, 
-     Manito  of  Wealth  and  Wampum, 

Guarded  by  his  fiery  serpents. 

Guarded  by  the  black  pitch- water.  • 
25  You  can  see  his  fiery  serpents,  % 

The  Kenabeek,  the  great  serpents. 

Coiling,  playing  in  the  water; 

You  can  see  the  black  pitch- water 

Stretching  far  away  beyond  them, 
30  To  the  purple  clouds  of  sunset! 

He  it  was  who  slew  my  father. 


134  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

By  his  wicked  wiles  and  cunning, 
When  he  from  the  •moon  descended, 
When  he  came  on  earth  to  seek  me. 

35  He,  the  mightiest  of  Magicians, 

Sends  the  fever  from  the  marshes. 
Sends  the  pestilential  vapors, 
Sends  the  poisonous  exhalations, 
Sends  the  white  fog  from  the  fenlands, 

40  Sends  disease  and  death  among  us! 

"Take  your  bow,  O  Hiawatha, 
Take  your  arrows,  jasper-headed, 
Take  your  war-club,  Puggawaugun, 
And  your  mittens,  Minjekahwun, 

45  And  your  birch-canoe  for  sailing. 

And  the  oil  of  Mishe-Nahma, 
So  to  smear  its  sides,  that  swiftly. 
You  may  pass  the  black  pitch- water; 
Slay  this  merciless  magician, 

50  Save  the  people  from  the  fever, 

That  he  breathes  across  the  fenlands, 
And  avenge  my  father's  murder  1" 
Straightway  then  my  Hiawatha 
Armed  himself  with  all  his  war-gear, 

55  Launched  his  birch-canoe  for  sailing; 

With  his  palms  its  sides  he  patted. 
Said  with  glee,  "Cheemaun,  my  darling, 
O  my  Birch- Canoe!  leap  forward, 
Where  you  see  the  fiery  serpents, 

60  Where  you  see  the  black  pitch-water!" 

Forward  leaped  Cheemaun  exulting, 
And  the  noble  Hiawatha 
Sang  his  war-song  wild  and  woeful, 
And  above  him  the  war-eagle, 

65  The  Keneu,  the  great  war-eagle. 

Master  of  all  fowls  with  feathers, 


THE  SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  135 

Screamed  and  hurtled  through  the  heavens. 

Soon  he  reached  the  fiery  serpents, 
The  Kenabeek,  the  great  serpents, 
70  Lying  huge  upon  the  water, 

Sparkhng,  rippling  in  the  water. 
Lying  coiled  across  the  passage. 
With  their  blazing  crests  uplifted. 
Breathing  fiery  fogs  and  vapors, 
75  So  that  none  could  pass  beyond  them. 

But  the  fearless  Hiawatha 
Cried  aloud,  and  spake  in  this  wise: 
*Let  me  pass  my  way,  Kenabeek, 
Let  me  go  upon  my  journey!" 
80  And  they  answered,  hissing  fiercely. 

With  their  fiery  breath  made  answer: 
"Back,  go  back!   O  Shaugodaya! 
Back  to  old  Nokomis,  Faint-heart!" 
Then  the  angry  Hiawatha 
85  Raised  his  mighty  bow  of  ash-tree. 

Seized  his  arrows,  jasper-headed. 
Shot  them  fast  among  the  serpents; 
Every  twanging  of  the  bow-string 
Was  a  war-cry  and  a  death-cry, 
90  Every  whizzing  of  an  arrow 

Was  a  death  song  of  Kenabeek. 
Weltering  in  the  bloody  water, 
Dead  lay  all  the  fiery  serpents. 
And  among  them  Hiawatha 
95  Harmless  sailed,  and  cried  exulting: 

"Onward,  O  Cheemaun,  rriy  darling! 
Onward  to  the  black  pitch-water!" 
Then  he  took  the  oil  of  Nahma, 
And  the  bows  and  sides  anointed, 
00  Smeared  them  well  with  oil,  that  swiftly 

He  might  pass  the  black  pitch-water. 


136  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

All  night  long  he  sailed  upon  it, 
Sailed  upon  that  sluggish  water, 
Covered  with  its  mold  of  ages, 

105  Black  with  rotting  water-rushes, 

Rank  with  flags  and  leaves  of  lilies, 
Stagnant,  lifeless,  dreary,  dismal, 
Lighted  by  the  shimmering  moonhght. 
And  by  will-o'-the-wisps  illumined, 

110  Fires  by  ghosts  of  dead  men  kindled. 

In  their  weary  night  encampments. 

All  the  air  was  white  with  moonlight, 
All  the  water  black  with  shadow. 
And  around  him  the  Suggema, 

115  The  mosquito,  sang  his  war-song. 

And  the  fire-flies,  Wah-wah-taysee, 
Waved  their  torches  to  mislead  him; 
And  the  bull-frog,  the  Dahinda, 
Thrust  his  head  into  the  moonlight, 

120  Fixed  his  yellow  eyes  upon  him, 

Sobbed  and  sank  beneath  the  surface; 
And  anon  a  thousand  whistles. 
Answered  over  all  the  fenlands, 
And  the  heron,  the  Shuh-shuh-gah, 

»«5  Far  off  on  the  reedy  margin. 

Heralded  the  hero's  coming. 

Westward  thus  fared  Hiawatha, 
Toward  the  realm  of  Megissogwon, 
Toward  the  land  of  the  Pearl- Feather, 

130  Till  the  level  moon  stared  at  him. 

In  his  face  stared  pale  and  haggard, 
Till  the  sun  was  hot  behind  him, 
Till  it  burned  upon  his  shoulders. 
And  before  him  on  the  upland 

135  He  could  see  the  Shining  Wigwam 

Of  the  Manito  of  Wampum, 


THE   SONG   OF  HIAWATHA  137 

Of  the  mightiest  of  Magicians. 
Then  once  more  Cheemaun  he  patted, 

To  his  birch-canoe  said,  "Onward!" 
140  And  it  stirred  in  all  its  fibres, 

And  with  one  great  bound  of  triumph 

Leaped  across  the  water-lilies, 

Leaped  through  tangled  flags  and  rushes, 

And  upon  the  beach  beyond  them 
145  Dry-shod  landed  Hiawatha. 

Straight  he  took  his  bow  of  ash-tree,- 

One  end  on  the  sand  he  rested. 

With  his  knee  he  pressed  the  middle. 

Stretched  the  faithful  bow-string  tighter, 
150  Took  an  arrow,  jasper-headed. 

Shot  it  at  the  Shining  Wigwam, 

Sent  it  singing,  as  a  herald 

As  a  bearer  of  his  message. 

Of  his  challenge  loud  and  lofty : 
15s  "Come  forth  from  your  lodge,  Pearl-Feather! 

Hiawatha  waits  your  coming!" 

Straightway  from  the  shining  Wigwam 

Came  the  mighty  Megissogwon, 

Tall  of  stature,  broad  of  shoulder, 
160  Dark  and  terrible  in  aspect. 

Clad  from  head  to  foot  in  wampum, 

Armed  with  all  his  war-like  weapons. 

Painted  like  the  sky  of  morning. 

Streaked  with  crimson,  blue,  and  yellow, 
165  Crested  with  great  eagle  feathers. 

Streaming  upward,  streaming  outward. 
"Well  I  know  you,  Hiawatha!" 

Cried  he  in  a  voice  of  thunder. 

In  a  tone  of  loud  derision. 
170  "Hasten  back,  O  Shaugodaya! 

Hasten  back  among  the  women, 


138  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Back  to  old  Nokomis,  Faint-heart ! 
I  will  slay  you  as  you  stand  there, 
As  of  old  I  slew  her  father!" 

175  But  my  Hiawatha  answered, 

Nothing  daunted,  fearing  nothing: 
**Big  words  do  not  smite  like  war-clubs, 
Boastful  breath  is  not  a  bow-string, 
Taunts  are  not  so  sharp  as  arrows, 

180  Deeds  are  better  things  than  words  are, 

Actions  mightier  than  boastings!" 
Then  began  the  greatest  battle 
That  the  sun  had  ever  looked  on. 
That  the  war-birds  ever  witnessed. 

185  All  a  summer's  day  it  lasted, 

•  From  the  sunrise  to  the  sunset ; 
For  the  shafts  of  Hiawatha 
Harmless  hit  the  shirt  of  wampum. 
Harmless  fell  the  blows'  he  dealt  it 

190  With  his  mittens,  Minjekahwun, 

Harmless  fell  the  heavy  war- club; 
It  could  dash  the  rocks  asunder. 
But  it  could  not  break  the  meshes 
Of  that  magic  shirt  of  wampum, 

195  Till  at  sunset  Hiawatha, 

Leaning  on  his  bow  of  ash-tree. 
Wounded,  weary,  and  desponding. 
With  his  mighty  war-club  broken. 
With  his  mittens  torn  and  tattered, 

200  And  three  useless  arrows  only. 

Paused  to  rest  beneath  a  pine-tree, 
From  whose  branches  trailed  the  mosses, 
And  whose  trunk  was  coated  over 
With  the  Dead-man's  Moccasin-leather, 

205  With  the  fungus  white  and  yellow. 

Suddenly  from  the  boughs  above  him 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  139 

Sang  the  Mama,  the  woodpecker: 
"Aim  your  arrows,  Hiawatha, 

At  the  head  of  Megissogwon, 
210  Strike  the  tuft  of  hair  upon  it. 

At  their  roots  the  long  black  tresses; 

There  alone  can  he  be  wounded ! 

Winged  with  feathers,  tipped  with  jasper. 

Swift  flew  Hiawatha's  arrow, 
215  Just  as  Megissogwon,  stooping. 

Raised  a  heavy  stone  to  throw  it. 

Full  upon  the  crown  it  struck  him, 

At  the  roots  of  his  long  tresses, 

And  he  reeled  and  staggered  forward, 
220  Plunging  like  a  wounded  bison. 

Yes,  like  Pezhekee,  the  bison. 

When  the  snow  is  on  the  prairie. 
Swifter  flew  the  second  arrow. 

In  the  pathway  of  the  other, 
225  Piercing  deeper  than  the  other. 

Wounding  sorer  than  the  other. 

And  the  knees  of  Megissogwon 

Shook  like  windy  reeds  beneath  him, 

Bent  and  trembled  like  the  rushes. 
230  But  the  third  and  latest  arrow 

Swiftest  flew,  and  wounded  sorest, 

And  the  mighty  Megissogwon 

Saw  the  fiery  eyes  of  Pauguk, 

Saw  the  eyes  of  Death  glare  at  him, 
235  Heard  his  voice  call  in  the  darkness; 

At  the  feet  of  Hiawatha 

Lifeless  lay  the  great  Pearl-Feather, 

Lay  the  mightiest  of  Magicians. 
Then  the  grateful  Hiawatha 
240  Called  the  Mama,  the  woodpecker. 

From  his  perch  among  the  branches 


I40  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Of  the  melancholy  pine-tree, 

And  in  honor  of  his  service, 

Stained  with  blood  the  tuft  of  feathers 

245  On  the  little  head  of  Mama; 

Even  to  this  day  he  wears  it. 
Wears  the  tuft  of  crimson  feathers. 
As  a  symbol  of  his  service. 
Then  he  stripped  the  shirt  of  wampum 

250  From  the  back  of  Megissogwon, 

As  a  trophy  of  the  battle, 
As  a  signal  of  his  conquest. 
On  the  shore  he  left  the  body. 
Half  on  land  and  half  in  water, 

25s  In  the  sand  his  feet  were  buried. 

And  his  face  was  in  the  water. 
And  above  him,  wheeled  and  clamored 
The  Keneu,  the  great  war-eagle, 
Sailing  round  in  narrower  circles, 

260  Hovering  nearer,  nearer,  nearer. 

From  the  wigwam  Hiawatha 
Bore  the  wealth  of  Megissogwon, 
All  his  wealth  of  skins  and  wampum, 
Furs  of  bison  and  of  beaver, 

265  Furs  of  sable  and  of  ermine. 

Wampum  belts  and  strings  and  pouches, 
Quivers  wrought  with  beads  of  wampum, 
Filled  with  arrows,  silver-headed. 
Homeward  then  he  sailed  exulting, 

270  Homeward  through  the  black  pitch- water, 

Homeward  through  the  weltering  serpents, 
With  the  trophies  of  the  battle, 
With  a  shout  and  song  of  triumph. 
On  the  shore  stood  old  Nokomis, 

27s  On  the  shore  stood  Chibiabos, 

And  the  very  strong  man,  Kwasind, 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  141 

Waiting  for  the  hero's  coming, 

Listening  to  his  song  of  triumph. 

And  the  people  of  the  village 
280  Welcomed  him  with  songs  and  dances, 

Made  a  joyous  feast  and  shouted : 
"Honor  be  to  Hiawatha  I 

He  has  slain  the  great  Pearl- Feather, 

Slain  the  mightiest  of  Magicians, 
285  Him,  who  sent  the  fiery  fever, 

Sent  the  white  fog  from  the  fenlands. 

Sent  disease  and  death  among  us!" 
Ever  dear  to  Hiawatha 

Was  the  memory  of  Mama! 
290  And  in  token  of  his  friendship. 

As  a  mark  of  his  remembrance. 

He  adorned  and  decked  his  pipe-stem 

With  the  crimson  tuft  of  feathers, 

With  the  blood -red  crest  of  Mama. 
295  But  the  wealth  of  Megissogwon, 

All  the  trophies  of  the  battle, 

He  divided  with  his  people. 

Shared  it  equally  among  them. 


X 

Hiawatha's  Wooing 

"  As  unto  the  bow  the  cord  is, 
So  unto  the  man  is  woman, 
Though  she  bends  him,  she  obeys  him, 
Though  she  draws  him,  yet  she  follows, 
Useless  each  without  the  other!" 

Thus  the  youthful  Hiawatha 
Said  within  himself  and  pondered 


142  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Much  perplexed  by  various  feelings, 
Listless,  longing,  hoping,  fearing, 
lo  Dreaming  still  of  Minnehaha, 

Of  the  lovely  Laughing  Water, 
In  the  land  of  the  Dacotahs. 

"Wed  a  maiden  of  your  people," 
Warning  said  the  old  Nokomis; 

15  "Go  not  eastward,  go  not  westward. 

For  a  stranger,  whom  we  know  not ! 
Like  a  fire  upon  the  hearth-stone 
Is  a  neighbor's  homely  daughter. 
Like  the  starlight  or  the  moonlight 

20  Is  the  handsomest  of  strangers!" 

Thus  dissuading  spake  Nokomis, 
And  my  Hiawatha  answered 
Only  this:  "  Dear  old  Nokomis, 
Very  pleasant  is  the  firelight, 

25  But  I  like  the  starlight  better, 

Better  do  I  like  the  moonlight!" 
Gravely  then  said  old  Nokomis: 
"Bring  not  here  an  idle  maiden, 
Bring  not  here  a  useless  woman, 

30  Hands  unskilful,  feet  unwilling. 

Bring  a  wife  with  nimble  fingers. 
Heart  and  hand  that  move  together, 
Feet  that  run  on  willing  errands!" 
Smiling  answered  Hiawatha: 

35  "In  the  land  of  the  Dacotahs 

Lives  the  Arrow-maker's  daughter, 
Minnehaha,  Laughing  Water, 
Handsomest  of  all  the  women. 
I  will  bring  her  to  your  wigwam, 

40  She  shall  run  upon  your  errands, 

Be  your  starlight,  moonlight,  firelight. 
Be  the  sunlight  of  my  people  1" 


THE   SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  143 

Still  dissuading  said  Nokomis: 
**  Bring  not  to  my  lodge  a  stranger 
45  From  the  land  of  the  Dacotahs! 

Very  fierce  are  the  Dacotahs, 

Often  is  there  war  between  us, 

There  are  feuds  yet  unforgotten. 

Wounds  that  ache  and  still  may  open!" 
50  Laughing  answered  Hiawatha: 

"For  that  reason,  if  no  other. 

Would  I  wed  the  fair  Dacotah, 

That  our  tribes  might  be  united, 

That  old  feuds  might  be  forgotten, 
55  And  old  wounds  be  healed  forever  I" 

Thus  departed  Hiawatha 

To  the  land  of  the  Dacotahs, 

To  the  land  of  handsome  women; 

Striding  over  moor  and  meadow, 
60  Through  interminable  forests. 

Through  uninterrupted  silence. 
With  his  moccasins  of  magic. 

At  each  stride  a  mile  he  measured; 

Yet  the  way  seemed  long  before  him, 
65  And  his  heart  outran  his  footsteps; 

And  he  journeyed  without  resting. 

Till  he  heard  the  cataract's  thunder, 

Heard  the  Falls  of  Minnehaha, 

Calling  to  him  throUgh  the  silence. 
70  "Pleasant  is  the  sound!"  he  murmured, 

"Pleasant  is  the  voice  that  calls  mel" 
On  the  outskirts  of  the  forest, 

'Twixt  the  shadow  and  the  sunshine. 

Herds  of  fallow  d-eer  were  feeding, 
75  But  they  saw  not  Hiawatha; 

To  his  bow  he  whispered,  "Fail  notl" 

To  his  arrow  whispered,  "Swerve  not!" 


144  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Sent  it  singing  on  its  errand, 
To  the  red  heart  of  the  roebuck; 
80  Threw  the  deer  across  his  shoulder, 

And  sped  forward  without  pausing. 

At  the  doorway  of  his  wigwam 
Sat  the  ancient  Arrow-maker, 
In  the  land  of  the  Dacotahs, 
85  Making  arrow-heads  of  jasper. 

Arrow-heads  of  chalcedony. 
At  his  side,  in  all  her  beauty. 
Sat  the  lovely  Minnehaha, 
Sat  his  daughter,  Laughing  Water, 
90  Plaiting  mats  of  flags  and  rushes; 

Of  the  past  the  old  man's  thoughts  were, 
And  the  maiden's  of  the  future. 

He  was  thinking,  as  he  sat  there, 
Of  the  days  when  with  such  arrows 
95  He  had  struck  the  deer  and  bison, 

On  the  Muskoday,  the  meadow; 
Shot  the  wild  goose,  flying  southward, 
On  the  wing,  the  clamorous  Wawa; 
Thinking  of  the  great  war-parties, 

100  How  they  came  to  buy  his  arrows. 

Could  not  fight  without  his  arrows. 
Ah,  no  more  such  noble  warriors 
Could  be  found  on  earth  as  they  were! 
Now  the  men  were  all  like  women, 

105  Only  used  their  tongues  for  weapons! 

She  was  thinking  of  a  hunter. 
From  another  tribe  and  country. 
Young  and  tall  and  very  handsome. 
Who  one  morning,  in  the  Spring-time, 

no  Came  to  buy  her  father's  arrows. 

Sat  and  rested  in  the  wigwam, 
Lingered  long  about  the  doorway,  ' 


THE   SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  145 

Looking  back  as  he  departed. 

She  had  heard  her  father  praise  him, 
115  Praise  his  courage  and  his  wisdom; 

Would  he  come  again  for  arrows 

To  the  Falls  of  Minnehaha? 

On  the  mat  her  hands  lay  idle, 

And  her  eyes  were  very  dreamy. 
120  Through  their  thoughts  they  heard  a  footstep, 

Heard  a  rustling  in  the  branches, 

And  with  glowing  cheek  and  forehead. 

With  the  deer  upon  his  shoulders. 

Suddenly  from  out  the  woodlands 
125  Hiawatha  stood  before  them. 

Straight  the  ancient  Arrow-maker 

Looked  up  gravely  from  his  labor. 

Laid  aside  the  unfinished  arrow. 

Bade  him  enter  at  the  doorway, 
130  Saying,  as  he  rose  to  meet  him, 

"Hiawatha,  you  are  welcome!" 
At  the  feet  of  Laughing  Water 

Hiawatha  laid  his  burden. 

Threw  the  red  deer  from  his  shoulders; 
135  And  the  maiden  looked  up  at  him, 

Looked  up  from  her  mat  of  rushes. 

Said  with  gentle  look  and  accent, 
**  You  are  welcome,  Hiawatha  I" 
Very  spacious  was  the  wigwam, 
140  Made  of  deer-skin  dressed  and  whitened. 

With  the  Gods  of  the  Dacotahs 

Drawn  and  painted  on  its  curtains, 

And  so  tall  the  doorway,  hardly 

Hiawatha  stooped  to  enter, 
145  Hardly  touched   his  eagle-feathers 

As  he  entered  at  the  doorway. 

Then  uprose  the  Laughing  Water, 


146  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

From  the  ground  fair  Minnehaha, 
Laid  aside  the  mat  unfinished, 

150  Brought  forth  food  and  set  before  them, 

Water  brought  them  from  the  brooklet. 
Gave  them  food  in  earthen  vessels, 
Gave  them  drink  in  bowls  of  basswood. 
Listened  while  the  guest  was  speaking, 

155  Listened  while  her  father  answered. 

But  not  once  her  lips  she  opened, 
Not  a  single  word  she  uttered. 

Yes,  as  in  a  dream  she  listened 
To  the  words  of  Hiawatha, 

160  As  he  talked  of  old  Nokomis, 

Who  had  nursed  him  in  his  childhood. 
As  he  told  of  his  companions, 
Chibiabos,  the  musician, 
And  the  very  strong  man,  Kwasind, 

165  And  of  happiness  and  plenty 

In  the  land  of  the  Ojibways, 
In  the  pleasant  land  and  peaceful. 

"After  many  years  of  warfare. 
Many  years  of  strife  and  bloodshed, 

170  There  is  peace  between  the  Ojibways 

And  the  tribe  of  the  Dacotahs." 
Thus   continued   Hiawatha, 
And  then  added,  speaking  slowly, 
"That  this  peace  may  last  forever, 

175  And  our  hands  be  clasped  more  closely, 

And  our  hearts  be  more  united. 
Give  me  as  my  wife  this  maiden, 
Minnehaha,  Laughing  Water, 
Loveliest  of  Dacotah  women!" 

180  And  the  ancient  Arrow-maker 

Paused  a  moment  ere  he  answered, 
Smoked  a  little  while  in  silence, 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  147 

Looked  at  Hiawatha  proudly, 

Fondly  looked  at  Laughing  Water, 
185  And  made  answer  very  gravely: 

*'Yes,   if   Minnehaha  wishes; 

Let  your  heart  speak,  Minnehaha  I" 
And  the  lovely  Laughing  Water 

Seemed  more  lovely,  as  she  stood  there 
190  Neither  willing  nor  reluctant. 

As  she  went  to  Hiawatha, 

Softly  took  the  seat  beside  him. 

While  she  said,  and  blushed  to  say  it, 
"I  will  follow  you,  my  husband!" 
195  This  was  Hiawatha's  wooing! 

Thus  it  was  he  won  the  daughter 

Of  the  ancient  Arrow -maker, 

I;i  the  land  of  the  Dacotahs! 
From  the  wigwam  he  departed, 
200  Leading  with  him  Laughing  Water; 

Hand  in  hand  they  went  together. 

Through  the  woodland  and  the  meadow, 

Left  the  old  man  standing  lonely 

At  the  doorway  of  his  wigwam, 
205  Heard  the  Falls  of  Minnehaha 

Calling  to  them  from  the  distance. 

Crying  to  them  from  afar  off, 
"Fare  the  well,  O  Minnehaha!" 

And  the  ancient  Arrow-maker, 
210  Turned  again  unto  his  labor. 

Sat  down  by  his  sunny  doorway, 

Murmuring  to  himself,  and  saying: 
"Thus  it  is  our  daughters  leave  us. 

Those  we  love,  and  those  who  love  us  I 
215  Just  when  they  have  learned  to  help  us, 

When  we  are  old  and  lean  upon  them, 

Comes  a  youth  with  flaunting  feathers, 


148  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

With  his  flute  of  reeds,  a  stranger 
Wanders  piping  through  the  village, 

220  Beckons  to  the  fairest  maiden, 

And  she  follows  where  he  leads  her, 
Leaving  all  things  for  the  stranger!" 

Pleasant  was  the  journey  homeward, 
Through  interminable  forests, 

.*2S  Over  meadow,  over  mountain, 

Over  river,  hill,  and  hollow. 
Short  it  seemed  to  Hiawatha, 
Though  they  journeyed  very  slowly. 
Though  his  pace  he  checked  and  slackened 

230  To  the  steps  of  Laughing  Water. 

Over  wide  and  rushing  rivers 
In  his  arms  he  bore  the  maiden; 
Light  he  thought  her  as  a  feather. 
As  the  plume  upon  his  head-gear; 

235  Cleared  the  tangled  pathway  for  her. 

Bent  aside  the  swaying  branches. 
Made  at  night  a  lodge  of  branches. 
And  a  bed  with  boughs  of  hemlock. 
And  a  fire  before  the  doorway 

240  With  the  dry  cones  of  the  pine-tree. 

All  the  traveling  winds  went  with  them, 
O'er  the  meadow,  through  the  forest; 
All  the  stars  of  night  looked  at  them, 
Watched  with  sleepless  eyes  their  slumber; 

245  From  his  ambush  in  the  oak-tree 

Peered  the  squirrel,  Adjidaumo, 
Watched  with  eager  eyes  the  lovers; 
And  the  rabbit,  the  Wabasso, 
Scampered  from  the  path  before  them, 

250  Peering,  peeping  from  his  burrow. 

Sat  erect  upon  his  haunches, 
Watched  with  curious  eyes  the  lovers. 


THE   SONG   OF  HIAWATHA  149 

Pleasant  was  the  journey  homeward! 

All  the  birds  sang  loud  and  sweetly 
255  Songs  of  happiness  and  heart's  ease; 

Sang  the  bluebird,  the  Owaissa, 
"Happy  are  you,  Hiawatha, 

Having  such  a  wife  to  love  you!" 

Sang  the  robin,  the  Opechee, 
260  "Happy  are  you.  Laughing  Water, 

Having  such  a  noble  husband!" 

From  the  sky  the  sun  benignant 

Looked  upon  them  through  the  branches, 

Saying,  to  them,  "O  my  children, 
265  Love  is  sunshine,  hate  is  shadow. 

Life  is  checkered  shade  and  sunshine. 

Rule  by  love,  O  Hiawatha!" 

Froin  the  sky  the  moon  looked  at  them, 

Filled  the  lodge  with  mystic  splendors, 
270  Whispered  to  them,  "O  my  children. 

Day  is  restless,  night  is  quiet, 

Man  imperious,  woman  feeble: 

Half  is  mine,  although  I  follow; 

Rule  by  patience.  Laughing  Water!" 
275  Thus  it  was  they  journeyed  homeward; 

Thus  it  was  that  Hiawatha 

To  the  lodge  of  old  Nokomis 

Brought  the  moonlight,  starlight,  firelight, 

Brought  the  sunshine  of  his  people, 
280  Minnehaha,  Laughing  Water, 

Handsomest  of  all  the  women 

In  the  land  of  the  Dacotahs, 

In  the  land  of  handsome  women. 


I50  STANDARD  CLASSIC  READER 

XI 

Hiawatha's  Wedding-Feast 

You  shall  hear  how  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
How  the  handsome  Yenadizze 
Danced  at  Hiawatha's  wedding, 
How  the  gentle  Chibiabos, 
5  He  the  sweetest  of  musicians, 

Sang  his  songs  of  love  and  longing; 
How  lagoo,  the  great  boaster. 
He  the  marvellous  story-teller. 
Told  his  tales  of  strange  adventure, 

lo  That  the  feast  might  be  more  joyous, 

That  the  time  might  pass  more  gayly. 
And  the  guests  be  more  contented. 

Sumptuous  was  the  feast  Nokomis 
Made  at  Hiawatha's  wedding; 

IS  All  the  bowls  were  made  of  bass-wood, 

White  and  polished  very  smoothly. 
All  the  spoons  of  horn  of  bison, 
Black  and  polished  very  smoothly. 
She  had  sent  through  all  the  village 

20  Messengers  with  wands  of  willow. 

As  a  sign  of  invitation; 
As  a  token  of  the  feasting; 
And  the  wedding  guests  assembled. 
Clad  in  all  their  richest  raiment, 

25  Robes  of  fur  and  belts  of  wampum, 

Splendid  with  their  paints  and  plumage, 
Beautiful  with  beads  and  tassels. 

First  they  ate  the  sturgeon,  Nahma, 
And  the  pike,  the  Maskenozha, 

30  Caught  and  cooked  by  old  Nokomis; 

Then  on  pemican  they  feasted. 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  151 

Pemican  and  buffalo  marrow, 

Haunch  of  deer  and  hump  of  bison, 

Yellow  cakes  of  the  Mondamin, 
35  And  the  wild  rice  of  the  river. 

But  the  gracious  Hiawatha, 

And  the  lovely  Laughing  Water, 

And  the  careful  old  Nokomis, 

Tasted  not  the  food  before  them. 
40  Only  waited  on  the  others. 

Only  served  their  guests  in  silence. 
And  when  all  the  guests  had  finished, 

Old  Nokomis,  brisk  and  busy, 

From  an  ample  pouch  of  otter, 
45  Filled  the  red-stone  pipes  for  smoking 

With  tobacco  from  the  southland, 

Mixed  with  bark  of  the  red  willow. 

And  with  herbs  and  leaves  of  fragrance. 
Then  she  said,  ^'O  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
50  Dance  for  us  your  merry  dances. 

Dance  the  Beggar's  Dance  to  please  us. 

That  the  feast  may  be  more  joyous. 

That  the  time  may  pass  more  gayly. 

And  our  guests  be  more  contented  1" 
55  Then  the  handsome  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 

He  the  idle  Yenadizze, 

He  the  merry  mischief-maker, 

Whotn  the  people  called  the  Storm-Fool, 

Rose  among  the  guests  assembled. 
60  Skilled  was  he  in  sports  and  pastimes. 

In  the  merry  dance  of  snowshoes 

In  the  play  of  quoits  and  ball-play; 

Skilled  was  he  in  games  of  hazard. 

In  all  games  of  skill  and  hazard, 
65  Pugasaing,  the  Bowl  and  Counters, 

Kuntassoo,  the  Game  of  Plum-stones. 


152  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Though  the  warriors  called  him  Faint-Heart, 
Called  him  coward,  Shaugodaya, 
Idler,  gambler,  Yenadizze, 
70  ■  Little  heeded  he  their  jesting, 

Little  cared  he  for  their  insults, 
For  the  women  and  the  maidens 
Loved  the  handsome  Pau-Puk-Keewis. 
He  was  dressed  in  shirt  of  doeskin, 
75  White  and  soft  and  fringed  with  ermine. 

All  inwrought  with  beads  of  wampum; 
He  was  dressed  in  deer-skin  leggings, 
Fringed  with  hedgehog  quills  and  ermine, 
And  in  moccasins  of  buck-skin, 
80  Thick  with  quills  and  beads  embroidered. 

On  his  head  were  plumes  of  swan's  down, 
On  his  heels  were  tails  of  foxes. 
In  one  hand  a  fan  of  feathers. 
And  a  pipe  was  in  the  other. 
85  Barred  with  streaks  of  red  and  yellow, 

Streaks  of  blue  and  bright  vermilion, 
Shone  the  face  of  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
From  his  forehead  fell  his  tresses. 
Smooth,  and  parted  like  a  woman's, 
90  Shining  bright  with  oil,  and  plaited. 

Hung  with  braids  of  scented  grasses, 
As  among  the  guests  assembled. 
To  the  sound  of  flutes  and  singing. 
To  the  sound  of  drums  and  voices, 
95  Rose  the  handsome  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 

And  began  his  mystic  dances. 

First  he  danced  a  solemn  measure, 
Very  slow  in  step  and  gesture. 
In  and  out  among  the  pine  trees,  • 
00  Through  the  shadows  and  the  sunshine, 

Treading  softly  like  a  panther. 


THE   SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  153 

Then  more  swiftly  and  still  swifter, 

Whirling,  spinning  round  in  circles. 

Leaping  o'er  the  guests  assembled, 
105  Eddying  round  and  round  the  wigwam. 

Till  the  leaves  went  whirling  with  him, 

Till  the  dust  and  wind  together 

Swept  in  eddies  round  about  him. 
Then  along  the  sandy  margin 
110  Of  the  lake,  the  Big-Sea- Water, 

On  he  sped  with  frenzied  gestures. 

Stamped  upon  the  sand  and  tossed  it 

Wildly  in  the  air  around  him; 

Till  the  wind  became  a  whirlwind, 
IIS  Till  the  sand  was  blown  and  sifted 

Like  great  snowdrifts  o'er  the  landscape. 

Heaping  all  the  shores  with  Sand  Dunes, 

Sand  Hills  of  the  Nagow  Wudjee! 
Thus  the  merry  Pau-Puk-Keewis 
120  Danced  his  Beggar's  Dance  to  please  them. 

And,  returning,  sat  down  laughing 

There  among  the  guests  assembled, 

Sat  and  fanned  himself  serenely 

With  his  fan  of  turkey  feathers. 
125  Then  they  said  to  Chibiabos, 

To  the  friend  of  Hiawatha, 

To  the  sweetest  of  all  singers, 

To  the  best  of  all  musicians, 
"Sing  to  us,  O  Chibiabos! 
130  Songs  of  love  and  songs  of  longing. 

That  the  feast  may  be  more  joyous. 

That  the  time  may  pass  more  gayly. 

And  our  guests  be  more  contented!" 
And  the  gentle  Chibiabos 
135  Sang  in  accents  sweet  and  tender, 

Sang  in  tones  of  deep  emotion, 


154  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Songs  of  love  and  songs  of  longing; 

Looking  still  at  Hiawatha, 

Looking  at  fair  Laughing  Water, 
140  Sang  he  softly,  sang  in  this  wise: 

*'OnawayI    Awake,  beloved! 

Thou  the  wild-flower  of  the  forest! 

Thou  the  wild -bird  of  the  prairie! 

Thou  with  eyes  so  soft  and  fawn-like! 
145  "If  thou  only  lookest  at  me, 

I  am  happy,  I  am  happy. 

As  the  lilies  of  the  prairie. 

When  they  feel  the  dew  upon  them! 
"Sweet  thy  breath  is  as  the  fragrance 
150  Of  the  wild -flowers  in  the  morning. 

As  their  fragrance  is  at  evening, 

In  the  Moon  when  leaves  are  falling. 
"  Does  not  all  the  blood  within  me 

Leap  to  meet  thee,  leap  to  meet  thee, 
155  As  the  springs  to  meet  the  sunshine, 

In  the  Moon  when  nights  are  brightest  ? 
"Onaway!  my  heart  sings  to  thee, 

Sings  with  joy  when  thou  art  near  me, 

As  the  sighing,  singing  branches 
160  In  the  pleasant  Moon  of  Strawberries! 

**  When  thou  art  not  pleased,  beloved. 

Then  my  heart  is  sad  and  darkened. 

As  the  shining  river  darkens 

When  the  clouds  drop  shadows  on  it! 
165  "When  thou  smilest,  my  beloved. 

Then  my  troubled  heart  is  brightened, 

As  in  sunshine  gleam  the  ripples 

That  the  cold  wind  makes  in  rivers. 
"Smiles  the  earth,  and  smile  the  waters, 
170  Smile  the  cloudless  skies  above  us, 

But  I  lose  the  way  of  smiling 


THE   SONG  OF   HIAWATHA  155 

When  thou  art  no  longer  near  me! 
"I  myself,  myself!  behold  me! 

Blood  of  my  beating  heart,  behold  me! 
175  O  awake,  awake,  beloved ! 

Onaway!  awake,  beloved!" 
Thus  the  gentle  Chibiabos 

Sang  his  song  of  love  and  longing; 

And  lagoo,  the  great  boaster, 
180  He  the  marvellous  story-teller. 

He  the  friend  of  old  Nokomis, 

Jealous  of  the  sweet  musician. 

Jealous  of  the  applause  they  gave  him. 

Saw  in  all  the  eyes  around  him, 
185  Saw  in  all  their  looks  and  gestures, 

That  the  wedding  guests  assembled 

Longed  to  hear  his  pleasant  stories, 

His  immeasurable  falsehoods. 
Very  boastful  was  lagoo; 
190  Never  heard  he  an  adventure 

But  himself  had  met  a  greater; 

Never  any  deed  of  daring 

But  himself  had  done  a  bolder; 

Never  any  marvellous  story 
195  But  himself  could  tell  a  stranger. 

Would  you  listen  to  his  boasting. 

Would  you  only  give  him  credence. 

No  one  ever  shot  an  arrow 

Half  so  far  and  high  as  he  had ; 
200  Ever  caught  so  many  fishes, 

Ever  killed  so  many  reindeer. 

Ever  trapped  so  many  beaver! 
None  could  run  so  fast  as  he  could. 

None  could  dive  so  deep  as  he  could, 
205  None  could  swim  so  far  as  he  could; 

None  had  made  so  many  journeys, 


156  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

None  had  seen  so  many  wonders, 

As  this  wonderful  lagoo, 

As  this  marvellous  story-teller  I 

2IO  Thus  his  name  became  a  by- word 

And  a  jest  among  the  people; 
And  whenever  a  boastful  hunter 
Praised  his  own  address  too  highly, 
Or  a  warrior,  home  returning, 

215  Talked  too  much  of  his  achievements, 

All  his  hearers  cried,  "lagoo! 
Here's  lagoo  come  among  usl" 

He  it  was  who  carved  the  cradle 
Of  the  little  Hiawatha, 

220  Carved  its  framework  out  of  linden, 

Bound  it  strong  with  reindeer  sinews; 
He  it  was  who  taught  him  later 
How  to  make  his  bows  and  arrows. 
How  to  make  the  bows  of  ash-tree, 

225  And  the  arrows  of  the  oak-tree. 

So  among  the  guests  assembled 
At  my  Hiawatha's  wedding 
Sat  lagoo,  old  and  ugly. 
Sat  the  marvellous  story-teller. 

230  And  they  said,  *'  O  good  lagoo, 

Tell  us  now  a  tale  of  wonder. 
Tell  us  of  some  strange  adventure. 
That  the  feast  may  be  more  joyous, 
That  the  time  may  pass  more  gayly, 

235  And  our  guests  be  more  contented!" 

And  lagoo  answered  straightway, 
"You  shall  hear  a  tale  of  wonder, 
You  shall  hear  the  strange  adventures 
Of  Osseo,  the  Magician, 

340  From  the  Evening  Star  descended." 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  157 

XII 
The  Son  of  the  Evening  Star 

Can  it  be  the  sun  descending 

O'er  the  level  plain  of  water? 

Or  the  Red  Swan  floating,  flying, 

Wounded  by  the  magic  arrow, 
5  Staining  all  the  waves  with  crimson, 

With  the  crimson  of  its  life-blood. 

Filling  all  the  air  with  splendor. 

With  the  splendor  of  its  plumage  ? 
Yes;  it  is  the  sun  descending, 
10  Sinking  down  into  the  water; 

All  the  sky  is  stained  with  purple, 

All  the  water  flushed  with  crimson! 

No;  it  is  the  Red  Swan  floating, 

Diving  down  beneath  the  water; 
15  To  the  sky  its  wings  are  lifted, 

With  its  blood  the  waves  are  reddened! 
Over  it  the  Star  of  Evening 

Melts  and  trembles  through  the  purple, 

Hangs  suspended  in  the  twilight. 
20  No;  it  is  a  bead  of  wampum 

On  the  robes  of  the  Great  Spirit, 

As  he  passes  through  the  twilight, 

Walks  in  silence  through  the  heavens. 
This  with  joy  beheld  lagoo 
25  And  he  said  in  haste:  ''Behold  it! 

See  the  sacred  Star  of  Evening! 

You  shall  hear  a  tale  of  wonder, 

Hear  the  story  of  Osseo, 

Son  of  the  Evening  Star,  Osseo ! 
30  ''  Once,  in  days  no  more  remembered, 

Ages  nearer  the  beginning, 


iS8  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

When  the  heavens  were  closer  to  us, 
And  the  Gods  were  more  familiar, 
In  the  Northland  lived  a  hunter, 

35  With  ten  young  and  comely  daughters, 

Tall.and  lithe  as  wands  of  willow; 
Only  Oweenee,  the  youngest, 
She  the  wilful  and  the  wayward. 
She  the  silent,  dreamy  maiden, 

40  Was  the  fairest  of  the  sisters. 

"All  these  women  married  warriors. 
Married  brave  and  haughty  husbands; 
Only  Oweenee,  the  youngest. 
Laughed  and  flouted  all  her  lovers, 

45  All  her  young  and  handsome  suitors, 

And  then  married  old  Osseo, 
Old  Osseo,  poor  and  ugly. 
Broken  with  age  and  weak  with  coughing, 
Always  coughing  like  a  squirrel. 

50  "Ah,  but  beautiful  within  him 

Was  the  spirit  of  Osseo, 
From  the  Evening  Star  descended. 
Star  of  Evening,  Star  of  Woman, 
Star  of  tenderness  and  passion! 

55  All  its  fire  was  in  his  bosom, 

All  its  beauty  in  his  spirit. 
All  its  mystery  in  his  being. 
All  its  splendor  in  his  language! 
"And  her  lovers,  the  rejected, 

60  Handsome  men  with  belts  of  wampum, 

Handsome  men  with  paint  and  feathers, 
Pointed  at  her  in  derision, 
Followed  her  with  jest  and  laughter. 
But  she  said:  *I  care  not  for  you, 

65  Care  not  for  your  belts  of  wampum, 

Care  not  for  your  paint  and  feathers, 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  .159 

Care  not  for  your  jests  and  laughter; 

I  am  happy  with  Osseo!' 

''Once  to  some  great  feast  invited, 
70  Through  the  damp  and  dusk  of  evening 

Walked  together  the  ten  sisters, 

Walked  together  with  their  husbands; 

Slowly  followed  old  Osseo, 

With  fair  Oweenee  beside  him; 
75  All  the  others  chatted  gayly. 

These  two  only  walked  in  silence. 
"At  the  western  sky  Osseo 

Gazed  intent,  as  if  imploring, 

Often  stopped  and  gazed  imploring 
80  At  the  trembling  Star  of  Evening, 

At  the  tender  Star  of  Woman; 

And  they  heard  him  murmur  softly. 
^Ah,  showain  nemeshin,  Nosa! 

Pity,  pity  me,  my  father  T 
85  "'Listen!'  said  the  eldest  sister, 

*He  is  praying  to  his  father! 

What  a  pity  that  the  old  man 

Does  not  stumble  in  the  pathway. 

Does  not  break  his  neck  by  falling!' 
90  And  they  laughed  till  all  the  forest 

Rang  with  their  unseemly  laughter. 

"On  their  pathway  through  the  woodlands 

Lay  an  oak,  by  storms  uprooted, 

Lay  the  great  trunk  of  an  oak-tree, 
95  Buried  half  in  leaves  and  mosses, 

Moldering,  crumbling,  huge  and  hollow. 

And  Osseo,  when  he  saw  it. 

Gave  a  shout,  a  cry  of  anguish. 

Leaped  into  its  yawning  cavern, 
00  At  one  end  went  in  an  old  man. 

Wasted,  wrinkled,  old,  and  ugly; 


i6o  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

From  the  other  came  a  young  man, 
Tall  and  straight  and  strong  and  handsome. 
*'Thus  Osseo  was  transfigured, 

105  Thus  restored  to  youth  and  beauty; 

But  alas  for  good  Osseo, 
And  for  Oweenee,  the  faithful! 
Strangely,  too,  was  she  transfigured, 
Changed  into  a  weak  old  woman, 

no  With  a  staff  she  tottered  onward, 

Wasted,  wrinkled,  old,  and  ugly! 
And  the  sisters  and  their  husbands 
Laughed  until  the  echoing  forest 
Rang  with  their  unseemly  laughter. 

115  "But  Osseo  turned  not  from  her. 

Walked  with  slower  step  beside  her. 
Took  her  hand,  as  brown  and  withered 
As  an  oak-leaf  is  in  Winter, 
Called  her  sweetheart,  Nenemoosha, 

120  Soothed  her  with  soft  words  of  kindness. 

Till  they  reached  the  lodge  of  feasting. 
Till  they  sat  down  in  the  wigwam. 
Sacred  to  the  Star  of  Evening, 
To  the  tender  Star  of  Woman. 

125  ''Wrapt  in  visions,  lost  in  dreaming, 

At  the  banquet  sat  Osseo; 
All  were  merry,  all  were  happy. 
All  were  joyous,  but  Osseo, 
Neither  food  nor  drink  he  tasted, 

130  Neither  did  he  speak  nor  listen. 

But  as  one  bewildered  sat  he. 
Looking  dreamily  and  sadly. 
First  at  Oweenee,  then  upward, 
At  the  gleaming  sky  above  them. 

135  "Then  a  voice  was  heard,  a  whisper. 

Coming  from  the  starry  distance, 


THE  SONG   OF  HIAWATHA  .161 

Coming  from  the  empty  vastness, 

Low,  and  musical,  and  tender; 

And  the  voice  said:   *0  Osseo! 
140  O  my  son,  my  best  beloved! 

Broken  are  the  spells  that  bound  you. 

All  the  charms  of  the  magicians. 

All  the  magic  powers  of  evil; 

Come  to  me;   ascend,  Osseo! 
145  '"Taste  the  food  that  stands  before  you; 

It  is  blessed  and  enchanted, 

It  has  magic  virtues  in  it, 

It  will  change  you  to  a  spirit. 

All  your  bowls  and  all  your  kettles 
150  Shall  be  wood  and  clay  no  longer; 

But  the  bowls  be  changed  to  wampum. 

And  the  kettles  shall  be  silver; 

They  shall  shine  like  shells  of  scarlet, 

Like  the  fire  shall  gleam  and  glimmer. 
155  '"And  the  women  shall  no  longer 

Bear  the  dreary  doom  of  labor. 

But  be  changed  to  binds  and  glisten 

With  the  beauty  of  the  starlight, 

Painted  with  the  dusky  splendors, 
160  Of  the  skies  and  clouds  of  evening!' 

"What  Osseo  heard  as  whispers, 

What  as  words  he  comprehended, 

Was  but  music  to  the  others, 

Music  as  of  birds  afar  off, 
165  Of  the  whippoorwill  afar  off, 

'    Of  the  lonely  Wawonaissa 

Singing  in  the  darksome  forest. 
"Then  the  lodge  began  to  tremble. 

Straight  began  to  shake  and  tremble, 
170  And  they  felt  it  rising,  rising, 

Slowly  through  the  air  ascending. 


i62  STANDARD  CLASSIC  READER 

From  the  darkness  of  the  tree-tops, 

Forth  into  the  dewy  starhght, 

Till  it  passed  the  topmost  branches; 

17s  And  behold!   the  wooden  dishes 

All  were  changed  to  shells  of  scarlet ! 
And  behold !  the  earthen  kettles 
All  were  changed  to  bowls  of  silver! 
And  the  roof-poles  of  the  wigwam 

180  Were  as  glittering  rods  of  silver. 

And  the  roof  of  bark  upon  them 
As  the  shining  shards  of  beetles. 

"Then  Osseo  gazed  around  him, 
And  he  saw  the  nine  fair  sisters, 

185  All  the  sisters  and  their  husbands, 

Changed  to  birds  of  various  plumage. 
Some  were  jays  and  some  were  magpies, 
Others  thrushes,  others  blackbirds; 
And  they  hopped,  and  sang,  and  twittered, 

190  Pecked  and  fluttered  all  their  feathers. 

Strutted  in  their  shining  plumage, 
And  their  tails  like  fans  unfolded. 

''Only  Oweenee,  the  youngest, 
Was  not  changed,  but  sat  in  silence, 

19s  Wasted,  wrinkled,  old,  and  ugly. 

Looking  sadly  at  the  others; 
Till  Osseo,  gazing  upward. 
Gave  another  cry  of  anguish, 
Such  a  cry  as  he  had  uttered 

200  By  the  oak-tree  in  the  forest. 

"Then  returned  her  youth  and  beauty 
And  her  soiled  and  tattered  garments 
Were  transformed  to  robes  of  ermine. 
And  her  staff  became  a  feather, 

ao5  Yes,  a  shining  silver  feather. 

"And  again  the  wigwam  trembled. 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  163 

Swayed  and  rushed  through  airy  currents, 

Through  transparent  cloud  and  vapor, 

And  amid  celestial  splendors 
210  On  the  Evening  Star  ahghted, 

As  a  snowflake  falls  on  snowfiake. 

As  a  leaf  drops  on  a  river, 

As  the  thistle-down  on  water. 

"Forth  with  cheerful  words  of  welcome 
215  Came  the  father  of  Osseo, 

He  with  radiant  locks  of  silver, 

He  with  eyes  serene  and  tender. 

And  he  said :  '  My  son,  Osseo, 

Hang  the  cage  of  birds  you  bring  there, 
220  Hang  the  cage  with  rods  of  silver, 

And  the  birds  with  glistening  feathers. 

At  the  doorway  of  my  wigwam.' 
"At  the  door  he  hung  the  bird-cage, 

And  they  entered  in  and  gladly 
225  Listened  to  Osseo's  father, 

Ruler  of  the  Star  of  Evening, 

As  he  said:   'O  my  Osseo! 

I  have  had  compassion  on  you, 

Given  you  back  your  youth  and  beauty; 
230  Into  birds  of  various  plumage 

Changed  your  Sisters  and  their  husbands; 

Changed  them  thus  because  they  mocked  you 

In  the  figure  of  the  old  man, 

In  that  aspect  sad  and  wrinkled, 
23s  Could  not  see  your  heart  of  passion. 

Could  not  see  your  youth  immortal; 

Only  Oweenee,  the  faithful. 

Saw  your  naked  heart  and  loved  you. 
"'In  the  lodge  that  glimmers  yonder, 
240  In  the  little  star  that  twinkles 

Through  the  vapors  on  the  left  hand, 


i64  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Lives  the  envious  Evil  Spirit, 
The  Wabeno,  the  magician, 
Who  transformed  you  to  an  old  man. 

245  Take  heed  lest  his  beams  fall  on  you, 

For  the  rays  he  darts  around  him 
Are  the  powers  of  his  enchantment, 
Are  the  arrows  that  he  uses.' 

"  Many  years,  in  peace  and  quiet, 

250  On  the  peaceful  Star  of  Evening 

Dwelt  Osseo  with  his  father; 
Many  years,  in  song  and  flutter. 
At  the  doorway  of  the  wigwam, 
Hung  the  cage  with  rods  of  silver, 

255  And  fair  Oweenee,  the  faithful. 

Bore  a  son  unto  Osseo, 
With  the  beauty  of  his  mother, 
With  the  courage  of  his  father. 

"And  the  boy  grew  up  and  prospered, 

260  And  Osseo,  to  delight  him. 

Made  him  little  bows  and  arrows. 
Opened  the  great  cage  of  silver, 
And  let  loose  his  aunts  and  uncles, 
All  those  birds  with  glossy  feathers, 

265  For  his  little  son  to  shoot  at. 

"  Round  and  round  they  wheeled  and  darted, 
Filled  the  Evening  Star  with  music, 
With  their  songs  of  joy  and  freedom ; 
Filled  the  Evening  Star  with  splendor; 

270  With  the  fluttering  of  their  plumage; 

Till  the  boy,  the  little  hunter. 
Bent  his  bow  and  shot  an  arrow, 
Shot  a  swift  and  fatal  arrow. 
And  a  bird,  with  shining  feathers, 

375  At  his  feet  fell  wounded  sorely. 

"But,  O  wondrous  transformation! 


THE   SONG  OF   HIAWATHA  165 

'Twas  no  bird  he  saw  before  him, 

'Twas  a  beautiful  young  woman, 

With  the  arrow  in  her  bosom  1 
280  "When  her  blood  fell  on  the  planet, 

On  the  sacred  Star  of  Evening, 

Broken  was  the  spell  of  magic, 

Powerless  was  the  strange  enchantment, 

And  the  youth,  the  fearless  bowman, 
285  Suddenly  felt  himself  descending. 

Held  by  unseen  hands,  but  sinking 

Downward  through  the  empty  spaces. 

Downward  through  the  clouds  and  vapors, 

Till  he  rested  on  an  island, 
290  On  an  island,  green  and  grassy. 

Yonder  in  the  Big-Sea-Water. 
*' After  him  he  saw  descending 

All  the  birds  with  shining  feathers. 

Fluttering,  falling,  wafted  downward, 
295  Like  the  painted  leaves  of  Autumn; 

And  the  lodge  with  poles  of  silver. 

With  its  roof  like  wings  of  beetles. 

Like  the  shining  shards  of  beetles, 

By  the  winds  of  heaven  uplifted, 
300  Slowly  sank  upon  the  island, 

Bringing  back  the  good  Osseo, 

Bringing  Oweenee,  the  faithful. 

"Then  the  birds,  again  transfigured, 

Reassumed  the  shape  of  mortals, 
305  Took  their  shape,  but  not  their  stature, 

They  remained  as  Little  People, 

Like  the  Pygmies,  the  Puk-Wudjies, 

And  on  pleasant  nights  of  Summer, 

When  the  Evening  Star  was  shining, 
310  Hand  in  hand  they  danced  together 

On  the  island's  craggy  headlands, 


i66  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

On  the  sand -beach  low  and  level. 

"Still  their  glittering  lodge  is  seen  there, 
On  the  tranquil  Summer  evenings, 

315  And  upon  the  shore  the  fisher 

Sometimes  hears  their  happy  voices, 
Sees  them  dancing  in  the  starlight!" 

When  the  story  was  completed, 
When  the  wondrous  tale  was  ended, 

320  Looking  round  upon  his  listeners, 

Solemnly  lagoo  added : 
"There  are  great  men,  I  have  known  such. 
Whom  their  people  understand  not, 
Whom  they  even  make  a  jest  of, 

325  Scoff  and  jeer  at  in  derision. 

From  the  story  of  Osseo 
Let  them  learn  the  fate  of  jesters!" 
All  the  wedding  guests  delighted 
Listened  to  the  marvellous  story, 

330  Listened  laughing  and  applauding, 

And  they  whispered  to  each  other: 
"  Does  he  mean  himself,  I  wonder? 
And  are  we  the  aunts  and  uncles  ?" 
Then  again  sang  Chibiabos, 

335  Sang  a  song  of  love  and  longing, 

In  those  accents  sweet  and  tender, 
In  those  tones  of  pensive  sadness, 
Sang  a  maiden's  lamentation 
For  her  lover,  her  Algonquin. 

340  "When  I  think  of  my  beloved. 

Ah  me!  think  of  my  beloved. 
When  my  heart  is  thinking  of  him, 
O  my  sweetheart,  my  Algonquin! 
"Ah  me!  when  I  parted  from  him, 

345  Round  my  neck  he  hung  the  wampum. 

As  a  pledge,  the  snow-white  wampum. 


THE  SONG  OF   HIAWATHA  167 

O  my  sweetheart,  my  Algonquin! 
''I  will  go  with  you,  he  whispered, 

Ah  me!  to  your  native  country; 
350  Let  me  go  with  you,  he  whispered, 

O  my  sweetheart,  my  Algonquin! 
*'Far  away,  away,  I  answered, 

Very  far  away,  I  answered. 

Ah  me!   is  my  native  country, 
355  O  my  sweetheart,  my  Algonquin! 

''When  I  looked  back  to  behold  him, 

Where  we  parted,  to  behold  him. 

After  me  he  still  was  gazing, 

O  my  sweetheart,  my  Algonquin! 
360  "By  the  tree  he  still  was  standing, 

By  the  fallen  tree  was  standing. 

That  had  dropped  into  the  water, 

O  my  sweetheart,  my  Algonquin! 
''When  I  think  of  my  beloved, 
365  Ah  me!  think  of  my  beloved, 

When  my  heart  is  thinking  of  him, 

O  my  sweetheart,  my  Algonquin!" 
Such  was  Hiawatha's  wedding. 

Such  the  dance  of  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
370  Such  the  story  of  lagoo. 

Such  the  songs  of  Chibiabos; 

Thus  the  wedding  banquet  ended, 

And  the  wedding  guests  departed, 

Leaving  Hiawatha  happy 
375  With  the  night  and  Minnehaha. 

XIII 

Blessing  the  Cornfields 

Sing,  O  Song  of  Hiawatha, 

Of  the  happy  days  that  followed. 


i68  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

In  the  land  of  the  Ojibways, 
In  the  pleasant  land  and  peaceful! 
5  Sing  the  mysteries  of  Mondamin, 

Sing  the  Blessing  of  the  Cornfields! 

Buried  was  the  bloody  hatchet, 
Buried  was  the  dreadful  war-club, 
Buried  were  all  warlike  weapons, 

lo  And  the  war-cry  was  forgotten. 

There  was  peace  among  the  nations; 
Unmolested  roved  the  hunters, 
Built  the  birch  canoe  for  sailing, 
Caught  the  fish  in  lake  and  river, 

15  Shot  the  deer  and  trapped  the  beaver; 

Unmolested  worked  the  women. 
Made  their  sugar  from  the  maple. 
Gathered  wild  rice  in  the  meadows, 
Dressed  the  skins  of  deer  and  beaver. 

20  All  around  the  happy  village 

Stood  the  maize-fields,  green  and  shining. 
Waved  the  green  plumes  of  Mondamin, 
Waved  his  soft  and  sunny  tresses, 
Filling  all  the  land  with  plenty. 

25  'T  was  the  women  who  in  Springtime 

Planted  the  broad  fields  and  fruitful, 
Buried  in  the  earth  Mondamin ; 
'T  was  the  women  who  in  Autumn 
Stripped  the  yellow  husks  of  harvest, 

30  Stripped  the  garments  from  Mondamin, 

Even  as  Hiawatha  taught  them. 
Once,  when  all  the  maize  was  planted, 
Hiawatha,  wise  and  thoughtful, 
Spake  and  said  to  Minnehaha, 

35  To  his  wife,  the  Laughing  Water: 

"  You  shall  bless  to-night  the  cornfields, 
Draw  a  magic  circle  round  them. 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  169 

To  protect  them  from  destruction, 

Blast  of  mildew,  blight  of  insect, 
40  Wagemin,  the  thief  of  cornfields, 

Paimosaid,  who  steals  the  maize-ear! 

In  the  night,  when  all  is  silence, 

In  the  night,  when  all  is  darkness, 

When  the  Spirit  of  Sleep,  Nepahwin, 
45  Shuts  the  doors  of  all  the  wigwams. 

So  that  not  an  ear  can  hear  you, 

So  that  not  an  eye  can  see  you. 

Rise  up  from  your  bed  in  silence, 

Lay  aside  your  garments  wholly, 
50  Walk  around  the  fields  you  planted, 

Round  the  borders  of  the  cornfields, 

Covered  by  your  tresses  only, 

Robed  with  darkness  as  a  garment. 
*'  Thus  the  fields  shall  be  more  fruitful, 
55  And  the  passing  of  your  footsteps 

Draw  a  magic  circle  round  them. 

So  that  neither  blight  nor  mildew. 

Neither  burrowing  worm  nor  insect, 

Shall  pass  o'er  the  magic  circle; 
60  Not  the  dragon-fly,  Kwo-ne-she, 

Nor  the  spider,  Subbekashe, 

Nor  the  grasshopper,  Pah-puk-keena, 

Nor  the  mighty  caterpillar, 

Way-muk-kwana,  with  the  bear-skin, 
65  King  of  all  the  caterpillars  1" 

On  the  tree-tops  near  the  cornfields 

Sat  the  hungry  crows  and  ravens, 

Kahgahgee,  the  King  of  Ravens, 

With  his  band  of  black  marauders. 
70  And  they  laughed  at  Hiawatha, 

Till  the  tree-tops  shook  with  laughter, 

With  their  melancholy  laughter, 


170  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

At  the  words  of  Hiawatha. 
*  *  Hear  him ! ' '  said  they ;  "  hear  the  Wise  Man, 

75  Hear  the  plots  of  Hiawatha!" 

When  the  noiseless  night  descended 
Broad  and  dark  o'er  field  and  forest, 
When  the  mournful  Wawonaissa, 
Sorrowing  sang  among  the  hemlocks, 

80  And  the  Spirit  of  Sleep,  Nepahwin, 

Shut  the  doors  of  all  the  wigwams, 
From  her  bed  rose  Laughing  Water, 
Laid  aside  her  garments  wholly, 
And  with  darkness  clothed  and  guarded, 

85  Unashamed  and  unaff righted. 

Walked  securely  round  the  cornfields. 
Drew  the  sacred,  magic  circle 
Of  her  footprints  round  the  cornfields. 
No  one  but  the  Midnight  only 

90  Saw  her  beauty  in  the  darkness, 

No  one  but  the  Wawonaissa 
Heard  the  panting  of  her  bosom; 
Guskewau,  the  darkness,  wrapped  her 
Closely  in  his  sacred  mantle 

95  So  that  none  might  see  her  beauty, 

So  that  nonemight  boast,  "I  saw  her  I" 

On  the  morrow,  as  the  day  dawned, 
Kahgahgee,  the  King  of  Ravens, 
Gathered  all  his  black  marauders, 
100  Crows  and  blackbirds,  jays,  and  ravens, 

Clamorous  on  the  dusky  tree-tops, 
And  descended,  fast  and  fearless, 
On  the  fields  of  Hiawatha, 
On  the  grave  of  the  Mondamin. 
105  *' We  will  drag  Mondamin,"  said  they, 

"From  the  grave  where  he  is  buried, 
Spite  of  all  the  magic  circles 


THE   SONG   OF  HIAWATHA  171 

Laughing  Water  draws  around  it, 

Spite  of  all  the  sacred  footprints 
no  Minnehaha  stamps  upon  it!"    * 

But  the  wary  Hiawatha, 

Ever  thoughtful,  careful,  watchful, 

Had  o'erheard  the  scornful  laughter 

When  they  mocked  him  from  the  tree-tops. 
115  "Kawl"  he  said,  "my  friends  the  ravens  1 

Kahgahgee,  my  King  of  Ravens! 

I  will  teach  you  all  a  lesson 

That  shall  not  be  soon  forgotten!" 
He  had  risen  before  the  daybreak, 
120  He  had  spread  o'er  all  the  cornfields 

Snares  to  catch  the  black  marauders. 

And  was  lying  now  in  ambush 

In  the  neighboring  grove  of  pine  trees. 

Waiting  for  the  crows  and  blackbirds, 
125  Waiting  for  the  jays  and  ravens. 

Soon  they  came  with  caw  and  clamor, 

Rush  of  wings  and  cry  of  voices, 

To  their  work  of  devastation. 

Settling  down  upon  the  cornfields, 
130  Delving  deep  with  beak  and  talon. 

For  the  body  of  Mondamin. 

And  with  all  their  craft  and  cunning. 

All  their  skill  in  wiles  of  warfare. 

They  perceived  no  danger  near  them, 
135  Till  their  claws  became  entangled, 

Till  they  found  themselves  imprisoned 

In  the  snares  of  Hiawatha. 

From  his  place  of  ambush  came  he. 

Striding  terrible  among  them, 
140  And  so  awful  was  his  aspect 

That  the  bravest  quailed  with  terror. 

Without  mercy  he  destroyed  them. 


172  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Right  and  left,  by  tens  and  twenties, 
And  their  wretched,  lifeless  bodies 

145  Hung  aloft  on  poles  for  scarecrows 

Round  the  consecrated  cornfields, 
As  a  signal  of  his  vengeance, 
As  a  warning  to  marauders. 
Only  Kahgahgee,  the  leader, 

150  Kahgahgee,  the  King  of  Ravens, 

He  alone  was  spared  among  them 
As  a  hostage  for  his  people. 
With  his  prisoner-string  he  bound  him, 
Led  him  captive  to  his  wigwam, 

155  Tied  him  fast  with  cords  of  elm  bark 

To  the  ridge-pole  of  his  wigwam. 
''Kahgahgee,  my  raven  1"  said  he, 
"You  the  leader  of  the  robbers. 
You  the  plotter  of  this  mischief, 

160  The  contriver  of  this  outrage, 

I  will  keep  you,  I  will  hold  you. 
As  a  hostage  for  your  people. 
As  a  pledge  of  good  behavior  1" 
And  he  left  him,  grim  and  sulky, 

165  Sitting  in  the  morning  sunshine 

On  the  summit  of  the  wigwam, 
Croaking  fiercely  his  displeasure, 
Flapping  his  great  sable  pinions, 
Vainly  struggling  for  his  freedom, 

170  Vainly  calling  on  his  people! 

Summer  passed,  and  Shawondasee 
Breathed  his  sighs  o'er  all  the  landscape. 
From  the  Southland  sent  his  ardors. 
Wafted  kisses  warm  and  tender; 

175  And  the  maize-field  grew  and  ripened, 

Till  it  stood  in  all  the  splendor 
Of  its  garments  green  and  yellow. 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  173 

Of  its  tassels  and  its  plumage, 

And  the  maize-ears  full  and  shining 
180  Gleamed  from  bursting  sheaths  of  verdure. 

Then  Nokomis,  the  old  woman, 

Spake,  and  said  to  Minnehaha: 
"  'Tis  the  Moon  when  leaves  are  falling; 

All  the  wild  rice  has  been  gathered, 
185  And  the  maize  is  ripe  and  ready; 

Let  us  gather  in  the  harvest, 

Let  us  wrestle  with  Mondamin, 

Strip  him  of  his  plumes  and  tassels, 

Of  his  garments  green  and  yellow!" 
190  And  the  merry  Laughing  Water 

Went  rejoicing  from  the  wigwam. 

With  Nokomis,  old  and  wrinkled. 

And  they  called  the  women  round  them, 

Called  the  young  men  and  the  maidens, 
195  To  the  harvest  of  the  cornfields, 

To  the  husking  of  the  maize  ear. 
On  the  border  of  the  forest. 

Underneath  the  fragrant  pine-trees, 

Sat  the  old  men  and  the  warriors 
200  Smoking  in  the  pleasant  shadow. 

In  uninterrupted  silence 

Looked  they  at  the  gamesome  labor 

Of  the  young  men  and  the  women; 

Listened  to  their  noisy  talking, 
205  To  their  laughter  and  their  singing. 

Heard  them  chattering  like  the  magpies. 

Heard  them  laughing  like  the  bluejays. 

Heard  them  singing  like  the  robins. 
And  whene'er  some  lucky  maiden 
210  Found  a  red  ear  in  the  husking, 

Found  a  maize-ear  red  as  blood  is, 
"Nushkal"  cried  they  all  together, 


174  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

"Nushka!"  you  shall  have  a  sweetheart, 
You  shall  have  a  handsome  husband!" 
215  *'Ugh!"  the  old  men  all  responded 

From  their  seats  beneath  the  pine-trees. 

And  v^hene'er  a  youth  or  maiden 
Found  a  crooked  ear  in  husking, 
Found  a  maize-ear  in  the  husking 
220  Blighted,  mildewed  or  misshapen. 

Then  they  laughed  and  sang  together, 
Crept  and  limped  about  the  cornfields, 
Mimicked  in  their  gait  and  gestures 
Some  old  man,  bent  almost  double, 
225  Singing  singly  or  together; 

*'Wagemin,  the  thief  of  cornfields! 
Paimosaid,  the  skulking  robber!" 

Till  the  cornfields  rang  with  laughter, 
Till  from  Hiawatha's  wigwam 
230  Kahgahgee,  the  King  of  Ravens, 

Screamed  and  quivered  in  his  anger. 
And  from  all  the  neighboring  tree-tops 
Cawed  and  croaked  the  black  marauders. 
**Ugh!"  the  old  men  all  responded, 
235  From  their  seats  beneath  the  pine  trees! 

XIV 

Picture- Writing 

In  those  days  said  Hiawatha, 
"Lo!  how  all  things  fade  and  perish! 
From  the  memory  of  the  old  men 
Fade  away  the  great  traditions, 
S  The  achievements  of  the  warriors. 

The  adventures  of  the  hunters. 
All  the  wisdom  of  the  Medas, 
All  the  craft  of  the  Wabenos, 


THE   SONG   OF  HIAWATHA  175 

All  the  marvelous  dreams  and  visions 
10  Of  the  Jossakeeds,  the  Prophets ! 

Great  men  die  and  are  forgotten, 

Wise  men  speak;  their  words  of  wisdom 

Perish  in  the  ears  that  hear  them, 

Do  not  reach  the  generations 
15  That,  as  yet  unborn,  are  waiting 

In  the  great,  mysterious  darkness 

Of  the  speechless  days  that  shall  be! 
"On  the  grave-posts  of  our  fathers 

Are  no  signs,  no  figures  painted ; 
20  Who  are  in  those  graves  we  know  not, 

Only  know  they  are  our  fathers. 

Of  what  kith  they  are  and  kindred, 

From  what  old,  ancestral  Totem, 

Be  it  Eagle,  Bear,  or  Beaver, 
2$  They  descended,  this  we  know  not, 

Only  know  they  are  our  fathers. 
"Face  to  face  we  speak  together, 

But  we  cannot  speak  when  absent, 

Cannot  send  our  voices  from  us 
30  To  the  friends  that  dwell  afar  off; 

Cannot  send  a  secret  message, 

But  the  bearer  learns  our  secret, 

May  pervert  it,  may  betray  it. 

May  reveal  it  unto  others." 
35  Thus  said  Hiawatha,  walking 

In  the  solitary  forest. 

Pondering,  musing  in  the  forest 

On  the  welfare  of  his  people. 

From  his  pouch  he  took  his  colors, 
40  Took  his  paints  of  different  colors. 

On  the  smooth  bark  of  a  birch-tree 

Painted  many  shapes  and  figures. 

Wonderful  and  mystic  figures, 


176  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

And  each  figure  had  a  meaning, 
45  Each  some  word  or  thought  suggested. 

Gitche  Manito  the  Mighty, 

He,  the  Master  of  Life,  was  painted 

As  an  egg,  with  points  projecting 

To  the  four  winds  of  the  heavens. 
50  Everywhere  is  the  Great  Spirit, 

Was  the  meaning  of  this  symbol, 
Mitche  Manito  the  Mighty, 

He  the  dreadful  Spirit  of  Evil, 

As  a  serpent  was  depicted, 
55  As  Kenabeek,  the  great  serpent. 

Very  crafty,  very  cunning. 

Is  the  creeping  Spirit  of  Evil, 

Was  the  meaning  of  this  symbol. 
Life  and  Death  he  drew  as  circles, 
60  Life  was  white,  but  Death  was  darkened ; 

Sun  and  moon  and  stars  he  painted, 

Man  and  beast,  and  fish  and  reptile, 

Forests,  mountains,  lakes,  and  rivers. 
For  the  earth  he  drew  a  straight  line, 
65  For  the  sky  a  bow  above  it; 

White  the  space  between  for  daytime, 

Filled  with  little  stars  for  night-time; 

On  the  left  a  point  for  sunrise, 

On  the  right  a  point  for  sunset, 
70  On  the  top  a  point  for  noontide. 

And  for  rain  and  cloudy  weather 

Waving  lines  descending  from  it.  ' 

Footprints  pointing  towards  a  wigwam  | 

Were  a  sign  of  invitation,  rj 

75  Were  a  sign  of  guests  assembling;  •  f 

Bloody  hands  with  palms  uplifted  ' ' 

Were  a  symbol  of  destruction, 

Were  a  hostile  sign  and  symbol. 


THE   SONG  OF   HIAWATHA  177 

All  these  things  did  Hiawatha 
80  Show  unto  his  wondering  people, 

And  interpreted  their  meaning, 

And  he  said,  "Behold,  your  graveposts 

Have  no  mark,  no  sign,  nor  symbol, 

Go  and  paint  them  all  with  figures; 
85  Each  one  with  its  household  symbol. 

With  its  own  ancestral  Totem; 

So  that  those  who  follow  after 

May  distinguish  them  and  know  them." 

And  they  painted  on  the  graveposts 
90  Of  the  graves  yet  unforgotten, 

Each  his  own  ancestral  Totem, 

Each  the  symbol  of  his  household ; 

Figures  of  the  Bear  and  Reindeer, 

Of  the  Turtle,  Crane,  and  Beaver, 
95  Each  inverted  as  a  token 

That  the  owner  was  departed, 

That  the  chief  who  bore  the  symbol 

Lay  beneath  in  dust  and  ashes. 
And  the  Jossakeeds,  the  Prophets, 
100  The  Wabenos,  the  Magicians, 

And  the  Medicine-men,  the  Med  as. 

Painted  upon  bark  and  deer-skin 

Figures  for  the  songs  they  chanted. 

For  each  song  a  separate  s)mibol, 
105  Figures  mystical  and  awful. 

Figures  strange  and  brightly  colored; 

And  each  figure  had  its  meaning, 

Each  some  magic  song  suggested. 
The  Great  Spirit,  the  Creator, 
no  Flashing  light  through  all  the  heaven; 

The  Great  Serpent,  the  Kenabeek, 

With  his  bloody  crest  erected. 

Creeping,  looking  into  heaven; 


178  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

In  the  sky  the  sun,  that  listens, 

115  And  the  moon  eclipsed  and  dying; 

Owl  and  eagle,  crane  and  hen-hawk, 
And  the  cormorant,  bird  of  magic; 
Headless  men,  that  walk  the  heavens. 
Bodies  lying  pierced  with  arrows, 

120  Bloody  hands  of  death  uplifted. 

Flags  on  graves,  and  great  war-captains 
Grasping  both  the  earth  and  heaven! 

Such  as  these  the  shapes  they  painted 
On  the  birch-bark  and  the  deer-skin; 

125  Songs  of  war  and  songs  of  hunting, 

Songs  of  medicine  and  of  magic. 
All  were  written  in  these  figures. 
For  each  figure  had  its  meaning, 
Each  its  separate  song  recorded. 

130  Nor  forgotten  was  the  Love- Song, 

The  most  subtle  of  all  medicines. 
The  most  potent  spell  of  magic, 
Dangerous  more  than  war  or  hunting! 
Thus  the  Love- Song  was  recorded, 

135  Symbol  and  interpretation. 

First  a  human  figure  standing, 
Painted  in  the  brightest  scarlet; 
'Tis  the  lover,  the  musician, 
And  the  meaning  is,  "My  painting 

140  Makes  me  powerful  over  others." 

Then  the  figure  seated,  singing, 
Playing  on  a  drum  of  magic, 
And  the  interpretation,  "Listen! 
'Tis  my  voice  you  hear,  my  singing!" 

145  Then  the  same  red  figure  seated 

In  the  shelter  of  a  wigwam. 
And  the  meaning  of  the  symbol, 
"I  will  come  and  sit  beside  you 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  179 

In  the  mystery  of  my  passion!" 
150  Then  two  figures,  man  and  woman, 

Standing  hand  in  hand  together 

With  their  hands  so  clasped  together 

That  they  seem  in  one  united, 

And  the  words  thus  represented 
155  Are,  "I  see  your  heart  within  you. 

And  your  cheeks  are  red  with  blushes!" 
Next  the  maiden  on  an  island, 

In  the  centre  of  an  island ; 

And  the  song  this  shape  suggested 
160  Was,  "Though  you  were  at  a  distance, 

Were  upon  some  far-off  island, 

Such  the  spell  I  cast  upon  you. 

Such  the  magic  power  of  passion, 

I  could  straightway  draw  you  to  me!" 
165  Then  the  figure  of  the  maiden 

Sleeping,  and  the  lover  near  her. 

Whispering  to  her  in  her  slumbers, 

Saying,  "Though  you  were  far  from  me 

In  the  land  of  Sleep  and  Silence, 
170  Still  the  voice  of  love  would  reach  youl" 

And  the  last  of  all  the  figures 

Was  a  heart  within  a  circle. 

Drawn  within  a  magic  circle; 

And  the  image  had  this  meaning : 
175  "Naked  lies  your  heart  before  me, 

To  your  naked  heart  I  whisper!" 
Thus  it  was  that  Hiawatha, 

In  his  wisdom,  taught  the  people, 

All  the  mysteries  of  painting, 
180  All  the  art  of  Picture- Writing, 

On  the  smooth  bark  of  the  birch-tree, 

On  the  white  skin  of  the  reindeer, 

On  the  grave-post$  of  the  village. 


i8o  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

XV 

Hiawatha's  Lamentation 

In  those  days  the  Evil  Spirits, 
All  the  Manitos  of  mischief, 
Fearing  Hiawatha's  wisdom, 
And  his  love  for  Chibiabos, 
5  Jealous  of  their  faithful  friendship. 

And  their  noble  words  and  actions, 
Made  at  length  a  league  against  them, 
To  molest  them  and  destroy  them. 
Hiawatha,  wise  and  wary, 
lo  Often  said  to  Chibiabos, 

*'0  my  brother!  do  not  leave  me. 
Lest  the  Evil  Spirits  harm  you!" 
Chibiabos,  young  and  heedless. 
Laughing  shook  his  coal-black  tresses, 
15  Answered  ever  sweet  and  childlike, 

"Do  not  fear  for  me,  O  brother! 
Harm  and  evil  come  not  near  me!" 

Once  when  Peboan,  the  Winter, 
Roofed  with  ice  the  Big-Sea- Water, 
20  When  the  snowflakes,  whirling  downward. 

Hissed  among  the  withered  oak  leaves, 
Changed  the  pine-trees  into  wigwams. 
Covered  all  the  earth  with  silence  — 
Armed  with  arrows,  shod  with  snowshoes, 
25  Heeding  not  his  brother's  warning. 

Fearing  not  the  Evil  Spirits, 
Forth  to  hunt  the  deer  with  antlers 
All  alone  went  Chibiabos. 

Right  across  the  Big-Sea- Water 
30  Sprang  with  speed  the  deer  before  him. 

With  the  wind  and  snow  he  followed, 


THE   SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  i8i 

O'er  the  treacherous  ice  he  followed, 
Wild  with  all  the  fierce  commotion 
And  the  rapture  of  the  hunting. 
35  But  beneath,  the  Evil  Spirits 

Lay  in  ambush,  waiting  for  him, 
Broke  the  treacherous  ice  beneath  him, 
Dragged  him  downward  to  the  bottom. 
Buried  in  the  sand  his  body. 
40  Unktahee,  the  god  of  water. 

He  the  god  of  the  Dacotahs, 
Drowned  him  in  the  deep  abysses 
Of  the  lake  of  Gitche  Gumee. 
From  the  headlands  Hiawatha 
45  Sent  forth  such  a  wail  of  anguish, 

Such  a  fearful  lamentation. 
That  the  bison  paused  to  listen, 
And  the  wolves  howled  from  the  prairies, 
And  the  thunder  in  the  distance 
50  Woke  and  answered  *'Baim-wawa!" 

Then  his  face  with  black  he  painted, 
With  his  robe  his  head  he  covered, 
In  his  wigwam  sat  lamenting. 
Seven  long  weeks  he  sat  lamenting, 
55  Uttering  still  this  moan  of  sorrow :  — 

"He  is  dead,  the  sweet  musician  I 
He  the  sweetest  of  all  singers! 
He  has  gone  from  us  forever. 
He  has  moved  a  little  nearer 
60  To  the  Master  of  all  music. 

To  the  Master  of  all  singing! 
O  my  brother,  Chibiabos!" 

And  the  melancholy  fir-trees 
Waved  their  dark  green  fans  above  him, 
65  Waved  their  purple  cones  above  him, 

Sighing  with  him  to  console  him, 


i82  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Mingling  with  his  lamentation 
Their  complaining,  their  lamenting. 
Came  the  Spring,  and  all  the  forest 
70  Looked  in  vain  for  Chibiabos; 

Sighed  the  rivulet,  Sebowisha, 
Sighed  the  rushes  in  the  meadow. 

From  the  tree-tops  sang  the  bluebird, 
Sang  the  bluebird,  the  Owaissa, 
75  'Xhibiabos!     Chibiabos! 

He  is  dead,  the  sweet  musician  1" 

From  the  wigwam  sang  the  robin. 
Sang  the  robin,  the  Opechee, 
"Chibiabos!    Chibiabos! 
80  He  is  dead,  the  sweetest  singer!" 

And  at  night  through  all  the  forest 
Went  the  whippoorwill  complaining, 
Wailing  went  the  Wawonaissa, 
''Chibiabos!     Chibiabos! 
85  He  is  dead,  the  sweet  musician! 

He  the  sweetest  of  all  singers!" 

Then  the  medicine-men,  the  Medas, 
The  magicians,  the  Wabenos, 
And  the  Jossakeeds,  the  prophets, 
90  Came  to  visit  Hiawatha; 

Built  a  Sacred  Lodge  beside  him. 
To  appease  him,  to  console  him. 
Walked  in  silent,  grave  procession. 
Bearing  each  a  pouch  of  healing, 
95  Skin  of  beaver,  lynx,  or  otter. 

Filled  with  magic  roots  and  simples. 
Filled  with  very  potent  medicines. 

When  he  heard  their  steps  approaching, 
Hiawatha  ceased  lamenting, 
00  Called  no  more  on  Chibiabos ; 

Naught  he  questioned,  naught  he  answered. 


THE   SONG   OF  HIAWATHA  183 

But  his  mournful  head  uncovered, 

From  his  face  the  mourning  colors 

Washed  he  slowly  and  in  silence, 
105  Slowly  and  in  silence  followed 

Onward  to  the  Sacred  Wigwam. 
There  a  magic  drink  they  gave  him. 

Made  of  Nahma-wusk,  the  spearmint. 

And  Wabeno-wusk,  the  yarrow, 
no  Roots  of  power,  and  herbs  of  healing; 

Beat  their  drums,  and  shook  their  rattles; 

Chanting  singly  and  in  chorus. 

Mystic  songs  like  these,  they  chanted. 
"I  myself,  myself!   behold  me! 
IIS  'T  is  the  great  Gray  Eagle  talking; 

Come,  ye  white  crows,  come  and  hear  him! 

The  loud-speaking  thunder  helps  me; 

All  the  unseen  spirits  help  me; 

I  can  hear  their  voices  calling, 
120  All  around  the  sky  I  hear  them ! 

I  can  blow  you  strong,  my  brother, 

I  can  heal  you,  Hiawatha!" 
*'Hi-au-ha!"  rephed  the  chorus, 
"Way-ha-way!"   the  mystic  chorus. 
125  "Friends  of  mine  are  all  the  serpents! 

Hear  me  shake  my  skin  of  hen-hawk ! 

Mahng,  the  white  loon,  I  can  kill  him; 

I  can  shoot  your  heart  and  kill  it! 

I  can  blow  you  strong,  my  brother, 
130  I  can  heal  you,  Hiawatha!" 

"Hi-au-ha!"  replied  the  chorus. 
"Way-ha-way!"  the  mystic  chorus. 
"I  myself,  myself!  the  prophet! 

When  I  speak  the  wigwam  trembles, 
13s  Shakes  the  Sacred  Lodge  with  terror. 

Hands  unseen  begin  to  shake  it! 


i84  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

When  I  walk,  the  sky  I  tread  on 
Bends  and  makes  a  noise  beneath  me! 
I  can  blow  you  strong,  my  brother! 

140  Rise  and  speak,  O  Hiawatha!" 

"Hi-au-ha!"  replied  the  chorus, 
"Way-ha-way!"  the  mystic  chorus. 
Then  they  shook  their  medicine  pouches 
O'er  the  head  of  Hiawatha, 

145  Danced  their  medicine-dance  around  him; 

And  upstarting  wild  and  haggard, 
Like  a  man  from  dreams  awakened, 
He  was  healed  of  all  his  madness. 
As  the  clouds  are  swept  from  heaven, 

150  Straightway  from  his  brain  departed 

All  his  moody  melancholy; 
As  the  ice  is  swept  from  rivers, 
Straightway  from  his  heart  departed 
All  his  sorrow  and  affliction. 

155  Then  they  summoned  Chibiabos 

From  his  grave  beneath  the  waters, 
From  the  sands  of  Gitche  Gumee 
Summoned  Hiawatha's  brother. 
And  so  mighty  was  the  magic 

160  Of  that  cry  and  invocation, 

That  he  heard  it  as  he  lay  there 
Underneath  the  Big-Sea-Water; 
From  the  sand  he  rose  and  listened, 
Heard  the  music  and  the  singing, 

165  Came,  obedient  to  the  summons. 

To  the  doorway  of  the  wigwam, 
But  to  enter  they  forbade  him. 

Through  a  chink  a  coal  they  gave  him, 
Through  the  door  a  burning  firebrand ; 

170  Ruler  in  the  Land  of  Spirits, 

Ruler  o'er  the  dead,  they  made  him, 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  185 

Telling  him  a  fire  to  kindle 

For  all  those  that  died  thereafter, 

Camp-fires  for  their  night  encampments    • 
175  On  their  solitary  journey 

To  the  kingdom  of  Ponemah, 

To  the  land  of  the  Hereafter. 

From  the  village  of  his  childhood, 

From  the  homes  of  those  who  knew  him, 
180  Passing  silent  through  the  forest. 

Like  a  smoke-wreath  wafted  sideways, 

Slowly  vanished  Chibiabos! 

Where  he  passed,  the  branches  moved  not, 

Where  he  trod,  the  grasses  bent  not, 
185  And  the  fallen  leaves  of  last  year 

Made  no  sound  beneath  his  footsteps. 
Four  whole  days  he  journeyed  onward, 

Down  the  pathway  of  the  dead  men; 

On  the  dead-man's  strawberry  feasted, 
190  Crossed  the  melancholy  river. 

On  the  swinging  log  he  crossed  it, 

Came  unto  the  Lake  of  Silver, 

In  the  Stone  Canoe  was  carried 

To  the  Islands  of  the  Blessed, 
195  To  the  land  of  ghosts  and  shadows. 

On  that  journey,  moving  slowly, 

Many  weary  spirits  saw  he. 

Panting  under  heavy  burdens. 

Laden  with  war-clubs,  bows  and  arrows, 
200  Robes  of  fur,  and  pots  and  kettles. 

And  with  food  that  friends  had  given 

For  that  solitary  journey. 

"Ah!  why  do  the  living,"  said  they, 
''Lay  such  heavy  burdens  on  us! 
315  Better  were  it  to  go  naked. 

Better  were  it  to  go  fasting, 


i86  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Than  to  bear  such  heavy  burdens 

On  our  long  and  weary  journey!" 
Forth  then  issued  Hiawatha, 
2IO  Wandered  eastward,  wandered  westward, 

Teaching  men  the  use  of  simples 

And  the  antidotes  for  poisons, 

And  the  cure  of  all  diseases. 

Thus  was  first  made  known  to  mortals 
215  All  the  mystery  of  Medamin, 

All  the  sacred  art  of  healing. 


XVI 

Pau-Puk-Keewis 

You  shall  hear  how  Pau-Puk-Keewis 
He,  the  handsome  Yenadizze, 
Whom  the  people  called  the  Storm  Fool, 
Vexed  the  village  with  disturbance; 
5  You  shall  hear  of  all  his  mischief, 

And  his  flight  from  Hiawatha, 
And  his  wondrous  transmigrations, 
And  the  end  of  his  adventures. 
On  the  shores  of  Gitche  Gumee, 

10  On  the  dunes  of  Nagow  Wudjoo, 

By  the  shining  Big-Sea- Water 
Stood  the  lodge  of  Pau-Puk-Keewis. 
It  was  he  who  in  his  frenzy 
Whirled  these  drifting  sands  together, 

IS  On  the  dunes  of  Nagow  Wudjoo, 

When,  among  the  guests  assembled, 
He  so  merrily  and  madly 
Danced  at  Hiawatha's  wedding. 
Danced  the  Beggar's  Dance  to  please  them. 


THE   SONG   OF  HIAWATHA 

20  Now,  in  search  of  new  adventures, 

From  his  lodge  went  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
Came  with  speed  into  the  village, 
Found  the  young  men  all  assembled 
In  the  lodge  of  old  lagoo, 

25  Listening  to  his  monstrous  stories, 

To  his  wonderful  adventures. 

He  was  telling  them  the  story 
Of  Ojeeg,  the  Summer- Maker, 
How  he  made  a  hole  in  heaven, 

30  How  he  climbed  up  into  heaven. 

And  let  out  the  summer-weather. 
The  perpetual,  pleasant  Summer; 
How  the  Otter  first  essayed  it; 
How  the  Beaver,  Lynx,  and  Badger 

35  Tried  in  turn  the  great  achievement, 

From  the  summit  of  the  mountain 
Smote  their  fists  against  the  heavens, 
Smote  against  the  sky  their  foreheads. 
Cracked  the  sky,  but  could  not  break  it; 

40  How  the  Wolverine,  uprising. 

Make  him  ready  for  the  encounter, 
Bent  his  knees  down,  like  a  squirrel. 
Drew  his  arms  back,  like  a  cricket. 
*'Once  he  leaped,"  said  old  lagoo, 

45  "Once  he  leaped,  and  lo!  above  him 

Bent  the  sky,  as  ice  in  rivers 
When  the  waters  rise  beneath  it ; 
Twice  he  leaped,  and  lo!  above  him 
Cracked  the  sky,  as  ice  in  rivers 

50  When  the  freshet  is  at  highest! 

Thrice  he  leaped,  and  lo!  above  him 
Broke  the  shattered  sky  asunder 
And  he  disappeared  within  it, 
And  Ojeeg,  the  Fisher  Weasel, 


i88  STANDARD  CLASSIC  READER 

55  With  a  bound  went  in  behind  him!" 

"Hark  you!"  shouted  Pau-Puk-Keewis 

As  he  entered  at  the  doorway; 
"I  am  tired  of  all  this  talking, 

Tired  of  old  lagoo's  stories, 
60     u         Tired  of  Hiawatha's  wisdom. 

Here  is  something  to  amuse  you. 

Better  than  this  endless  talking." 
Then  from  out  his  pouch  of  wolf -skin 

Forth  he  drew,  with  solemn  manner, 
65  All  the  game  of  Bowl  and  Counters, 

Pugasaing,  with  thirteen  pieces. 

White  on  one  side  were  they  painted, 

And  vermilion  on  the  other; 

Two  Kenabeeks  or  great  serpents, 
70  Two  Ininewug  or  wedge-men. 

One  great  war-club,  Pugamaugun, 

And  one  slender  fish,  the  Keego, 

Four  round  pieces,  Ozawabeeks, 

And  three  Sheshebwug  or  ducklings. 
75  All  were  made  of  bone  and  painted. 

All  except  the  Ozawabeeks; 

These  were  brass,  on  one  side  burnished, 

And  were  black  upon  the  other. 
In  a  wooden  bowl  he  placed  them, 
80  Shook  and  jostled  them  together. 

Threw  them  on  the  ground  before  him, 

Thus  exclaiming  and  explaining: 
**Red  side  up  are  all  the  pieces. 

And  one  great  Kenabeek  standing 
85  On  the  bright  side  of  a  brass  piece, 

On  a  burnished  Ozawabeek; 

Thirteen  tens  and  eight  are  counted." 
Then  again  he  shook  the  pieces. 

Shook  and  jostled  them  together. 


THE  SONG   OF  HIAWATHA  189 

90  Threw  them  on  the  ground  before  him, 

Still  exclaiming  and  explaining: 
"White  are  both  the  great  Kenabeeks, 

White  the  Ininewug,  the  wedge-men, 

Red  are  all  the  other  pieces; 
95  Five  tens  and  an  eight  are  counted." 

Thus  he  taught  the  game  of  hazard, 

Thus  displayed  it  and  explained  it, 

Running  through  its  various  chances. 

Various  changes,  various  meanings: 
100  Twenty  curious  eyes  stared  at  him. 

Full  of  eagerness  stared  at  him. 
*'Many  games,"  said  old  lagoo, 
"  Many  games  of  skill  and  hazard 

Have  I  seen  in  different  nations, 
105  Have  I  played  in  different  countries. 

He  who  plays  with  old  lagoo 

Must  have  very  nimble  fingers; 

Though  you  think  yourself  so  skilful 

I  can  beat  you,  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
no  I  can  even  give  you  lessons 

In  your  game  of  Bowl  and  Counters!" 
So  they  sat  and  played  together, 

All  the  old  men  and  the  young  men. 

Played  for  dresses,  weapons,  wampum, 
115  Played  till  midnight,  played  till  morning, 

Played  until  the  Yenadizze, 

Till  the  cunning  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 

Of  their  treasures  had  despoiled  them, 

Of  the  best  of  all  their  dresses, 
120  Shirts  of  deer-skin,  robes  of  ermine,  , 

Belts  of  wampum,  crests  of  feathers. 

Warlike  weapons,  pipes,  and  pouches. 

Twenty  eyes  glared  wildly  at  him. 

Like  the  eyes  of  wolves  glared  at  him. 


I90  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

125  Said  the  lucky  Pau-Puk-Keewis: 

"  In  my  wigwam  I  am  lonely. 
In  my  wanderings  and  adventures 
I  have  need  of  a  companion, 
Fain  would  have  a  Meshinauwa, 

130  An  attendant  and  pipe-bearer. 

I  will  venture  all  these  winnings, 
All  these  garments  heaped  about  me, 
All  this  wampum,  all  these  feathers, 
On  a  single  throw  will  venture 

135  All  against  the  young  man  yonder!" 

'Twas  a  youth  of  sixteen  summers, 
'Twas  a  nephew  of  lagoo ; 
Face-in-a-Mist,  the  people  called  him. 
As  the  fire  burns  in  a  pipe-head 

140  Dusky  red  beneath  the  ashes. 

So  beneath  his  shaggy  eyebrows 
Glowed  the  eyes  of  old  lagoo. 
"Ugh I"  he  answered  very  fiercely; 
"Ugh!"  they  answered  all  and  each  one. 

145  Seized  the  wooden  bowl  the  old  man. 

Closely  in  his  bony  fingers 
Clutched  the  fatal  bowl,  Onagon, 
Shook  it  fiercely  and  with  fury. 
Made  the  pieces  ring  together 

150  As  he  threw  them  down  before  him. 

Red  were  both  the  great  Kenabeeks, 
Red  the  Ininewug,  the  wedge-men. 
Red  the  Sheshebwug,  the  ducklings, 
Black  the  four  brass  Ozawabeeks, 

15s  White  alone  the  fish,  the  Keego ; 

Only  five  the  pieces  counted! 

Then  the  smiling  Pau-Puk-Keewis 
Shook  the  bowl  and  threw  the  pieces; 
Lightly  in  the  air  he  tossed  them, 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  191 

160  And  they  fell  about  him  scattered ; 

Dark  and  bright,  the  Ozawabeeks, 

Red  and  white  the  other  pieces, 

And  upright  among  the  others 

One  Ininewug  was  standing, 
165  Even  as  crafty  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 

Stood  alone  among  the  players. 

Saying,  "Five  tens!  mine  the  game  is!" 
Twenty  eyes  glared  at  him  fiercely. 

Like  the  eyes  of  wolves  glared  at  him, 
170  As  he  turned  and  left  the  wigwam. 

Followed  by  his  Meshinauwa, 

By  the  nephew  of  lagoo. 

By  the  tall  and  graceful  stripling. 

Bearing  in  his  arms  the  winnings, 
175  Shirts  of  deer-skin,  robes  of  ermine, 

Belts  of  wampum,  pipes  and  weapons. 
*' Carry  them,"  said  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 

Pointing  with  his  fan  of  feathers, 
"To  my  wigwam  far  to  eastward, 
180  On  the  dunes  of  Nagow  Wud  joo  1 ' ' 

Hot  and  red  with  smoke  and  gambling 

Were  the  eyes  of  Pau-Puk-Keewis 

As  he  came  forth  to  the  freshness 

Of  the  pleasant  summer  morning. 
185  All  the  birds  were  singing  gayly. 

All  the  streamlets  flowing  swiftly. 

And  the  heart  of  Pau-Puk-Keewis 

Sang  with  pleasure  as  the  birds  sing, 

Beat  with  triumph  like  the  streamlets, 
190  As  he  wandered  through  the  village, 

In  the  early  gray  of  morning, 

With  his  fan  of  turkey-feathers, 

With  his  plumes  and  tufts  of  swan's  down. 

Till  he  reached  the  farthest  wigwam, 


192  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

19s  Reached  the  lodge  of  Hiawatha. 

Silent  was  it  and  deserted ; 
No  one  met  him  at  the  doorway, 
No  one  came  to  bid  him  welcome ; 
But  the  birds  were  singing  round  it, 

200     .  In  and  out  and  round  the  doorway. 

Hopping,  singing,  fluttering,  feeding. 
And  aloft  upon  the  ridge-pole 
Kahgahgee,  the  King  of  Ravens, 
Sat  with  fiery  eyes,  and  screaming, 

205  Flapped  his  wings  at  Pau-Puk-Keewis. 

*'A11  are  gone!  the  lodge  is  empty!" 
Thus  it  was  spake  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
In  his  heart  resolving  mischief; 
"Gone  is  wary  Hiawatha, 

210  Gone  the  silly  Laughing  Water, 

'     Gone  Nokomis,  the  old  woman. 
And  the  lodge  is  left  unguarded!" 

By  the  neck  he  seized  the  raven, 
Whirled  it  round  him  like  a  rattle, 

215  Like  a  medicine-pouch  he  shook  it, 

Strangled  Kahgahgee,  the  raven. 
From  the  ridge-pole  of  the  wigwam 
Left  its  lifeless  body  hanging. 
As  an  insult  to  its  master, 

220  As  a  taunt  to  Hiawatha. 

With  a  stealthy  step  he  entered, 
Round  the  lodge  in  wild  disorder 
Threw  the  household  things  about  him, 
Piled  together  in  confusion 

225  Bowls  of  wood  and  earthen  kettles, 

Robes  of  buffalo  and  beaver. 
Skins,  of  otter,  lynx,  and  ermine. 
As  an  insult  to  Nokomis, 
As  a  taunt  to  Minnehaha. 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  193 

Then  departed  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
Whistling,  singing  through  the  forest, 
Whisthng  gayly  to  the  squirrels, 
Who  from  hollow  boughs  above  him 
Dropped  their  acorn  shells  upon  him, 
Singing  gayly  to  the  woodbirds. 
Who  from  out  the  leafy  darkness 
Answered  with  a  song  as  merry. 

Then  he  climbed  the  rocky  headlands, 
Looking  o'er  the  Gitche  Gumee, 
Perched  himself  upon  their  summit, 
Waiting  full  of  mirth  and  mischief 
The  return  of  Hiawatha. 

Stretched  upon  his  back  he  lay  there; 
Far  below  him  plashed  the  waters. 
Plashed  and  washed  the  dreamy  waters; 
Far  above  him  swam  the  heavens. 
Swam  the  dizzy,  dreamy  heavens; 
Round  him  hovered,  fluttered,  rustled, 
Hiawatha's  mountain  chickens. 
Flock-wise  swept  and  wheeled  about  him, 
Almost  brushed  him  with  their  pinions. 

And  he  killed  them  as  he  lay  there. 
Slaughtered  them  by  tens  and  twenties. 
Threw  their  bodies  down  the  headland, 
Threw  them  on  the  beach  below  him, 
Till  at  length  Kayoshk  the  sea-gull. 
Perched  upon  a  crag  above  them. 
Shouted:   "It  is  Pau-Puk-Keewis! 
He  is  slaying  us  by  hundreds! 
Send  a  message  to  our  brother, 
Tidings  send  to  Hiawatha!" 


194  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

XVII 

The  Hunting  of  Pau-Puk-Keewis 

Full  of  wrath  was  Hiawatha 
When  he  came  into  the  village, 
Found  the  people  in  confusion, 
Heard  of  all  the  misdemeanors, 
5  All  the  malice  and  the  mischief, 

Of  the  cunning  Pau-Puk-Keewis. 

Hard  his  breath  came  through  his  nostrils, 
Through  his  teeth  he  buzzed  and  muttered 
Words  of  anger  and  resentment, 

lo  Hot  and  humming  like  a  hornet. 

"I  will  slay  this  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 

Slay  this  mischief-maker!"  said  he, 

*'Not  so  long  and  wide  the  world  is, 

Not  so  rude  and  rough  the  way  is, 

15  That  my  wrath  shall  not  attain  him, 

That  my  vengeance  shall  not  reach  him!" 

Then  in  swift  pursuit  departed 
Hiawatha  and  the  hunters 
On  the  trail  of  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 

20  Through  the  forest,  where  he  passed  it, 

To  the  headlands  where  he  rested : 
But  they  found  not  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
Only  in  the  trampled  grasses. 
In  the  whortleberry  bushes, 

25  Found  the  couch  where  he  had  rested. 

Found  the  impress  of  his  body. 

From  the  lowlands  far  beneath  them, 
From  the  Muskoday,  the  meadow, 
Pau-Puk-Keewis,  turning  backward, 

30  Made  a  gesture  of  defiance. 

Made  a  gesture  of  derision; 


THE  SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  195 

And  aloud  cried  Hiawatha, 

From  the  summit  of  the  mountain: 
"Not  so  long  and  wide  the  world  is, 
35  Not  so  rude  and  rough  the  way  is. 

But  my  wrath  shall  overtake  you, 

And  my  vengeance  shall  attain  youl" 
Over  rock  and  over  river, 

Through  bush,  and  brake,  and  forest, 
40  Ran  the  cunning  Pau-Puk-Keewis; 

Like  an  antelope  he  bounded. 

Till  he  came  unto  a  streamlet 

In  the  middle  of  the  forest, 

To  a  streamlet  still  and  tranquil, 
45  That  had  overflowed  its  margin. 

To  a  dam  made  by  the  beavers. 

To  a  pond  of  quiet  water. 

Where  knee-deep  the  trees  were  standing. 

Where  the  water-lilies  floated, 
50  Where  the  rushes  waved  and  whispered. 

On  the  dam  stood  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 

On  the  dam  of  trunks  and  branches. 

Through  whose  chinks  the  water  spouted, 

O'er  whose  summit  flowed  the  streamlet. 
55  From  the  bottom  rose  a  beaver. 

Looked  with  two  great  eyes  of  wonder. 

Eyes  that  seemed  to  ask  a  question. 

At  the  stranger,  Pau-Puk-Keewis. 
On  the  dam  stood  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
60  O'er  his  ankles  flowed  the  streamlet. 

Flowed  the  bright  and  silvery  water, 

And  he  spake  unto  the  beaver. 

With  a  smile  he  spake  in  this  wise : 
"O  my  friend  Ahmeek,  the  beaver, 
65  Cool  and  pleasant  is  the  water; 

Let  me  dive  into  the  water, 


196  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Let  me  rest  there  in  your  lodges; 

Change  me,  too,  into  a  beaver!" 

Cautiously  replied  the  beaver, 

70  With  reserve  he  thus  made  answer: 

"Let  me  first  consult  the  others, 
Let  me  ask  the  other  beavers." 
Down  he  sank  into  the  water, 
Heavily  sank  he  as  a  stone  sinks, 

75  Down  among  the  leaves  and  branches, 

Brown  and  matted  at  the  bottom. 

On  the  dam  stood  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
O'er  his  ankles  flowed  the  streamlet, 
Spouted  through  the  chinks  below  him, 

80  Dashed  upon  the  stones  beneath  him, 

Spread  serene  and  calm  before  him. 
And  the  sunshine  and  the  shadows 
Fell  in  flecks  and  gleams  upon  him, 
Fell  in  little  shining  patches, 

85  Through  the  waving,  rustling  branches. 

From  the  bottom  rose  the  beavers. 
Silently  above  the  surface 
Rose  one  head  and  then  another, 
Till  the  pond  seemed  full  of  beavers, 

90  Full  of  black  and  shining  faces. 

To  the  beavers  Pau-Puk-Keewis 
Spake  entreating,  said  in  this  wise: 
"Very  pleasant  is  your  dwelling, 
O  my  friends!  and  safe  from  danger, 

95  Can  you  not  with  all  your  cunning. 

All  your  wisdom  and  contrivance, 
Change  me,  too,  into  a  beaver?" 

"Yes!"  replied  Ahmeek,  the  beaver, 
He  the  King  of  all  the  beavers, 

00  "Let  yourself  slide  down  among  us, 

Down  into  the  tranquil  water." 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  197 

Down  into  the  pond  among  them 
Silently  sank  Pau-Puk-Keewis; 
Black  became  his  shirt  of  deer-skin, 
105  Black  his  moccasins  and  leggings, 

In  a  broad  black  tail  behind  him 
Spread  his  fox-tails  and  his  fringes; 
He  was  changed  into  a  beaver. 

"  Make  me  large,"  said  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
no  *'  Make  me  large  and  make  me  larger, 

Larger  than  the  other  beavers." 
**Yes,"  the  beaver  chief  responded, 
*' When  our  lodge  below  you  enter, 
In  our  wigwam  we  will  make  you 
115  Ten  times  larger  than  the  others." 

Thus  into  the  clear,  brown  water 
Silently  sank  Pau-Puk-Keewis; 
Found  the  bottom  covered  over 
With  the  trunks  of  trees  and  branches, 
120    ■  Hoards  of  food  against  the  winter, 

Piles  and  heaps  against  the  famine; 
Found  the  lodge  with  arching  doorway, 
Leading  into  spacious  chambers. 
Here  they  made  him  large  and  larger, 
125  Made  him  largest  of  the  beavers, 

Ten  times  larger  than  the  others. 
*'You  shall  be  our  ruler,"  said  they. 
*'  Chief  and  King  of  all  the  beavers." 
But  not  long  had  Pau-Puk-Keewis 
13c  Sat  in  state  among  the  beavers, 

When  there  came  a  voice  of  warning 
From  the  watchman  at  his  station 
In  the  water-flags  and  lilies 
Saying,  "Here  is  Hiawatha! 
13s  Hiawatha  with  his  hunters!" 

Then  they  heard  a  cry  above  them. 


198  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Heard  a  shouting  and  a  tramping, 

Heard  a  crashing  and  a  rushing, 

And  the  water  round  and  o'er  them 
140  Sank  and  sucked  away  in  eddies, 

And  they  knew  their  dam  was  broken. 
On  the  lodge's  roof  the  hunters 

Leaped,  and  broke  it  all  asunder; 

Streamed  the  sunshine  through  the  crevice, 
145  Sprang  the  beavers  through  the  doorway. 

Hid  themselves  in  deeper  water, 

In  the  channel  of  the  streamlet ; 

But  the  mighty  Pau-Puk-Keewis 

Could  not  pass  beneath  the  doorway; 
150  He  was  pufifed  with  pride  and  feeding, 

He  was  swollen  like  a  bladder. 

Through  the  roof  looked  Hiawatha, 

Cried  aloud,  "O  Pau-Puk-Keewis! 

Vain  are  all  your  craft  and  cunning, 
155  Vain  your  manifold  disguises! 

Well  I  know  you,  Pau-Puk-Keewis!" 

With  their  clubs  they  beat  and  bruised  him, 

Beat  to  death  poor  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 

Pounded  him  as  maize  is  pounded, 

160  Till  his  skull  was  crushed  to  pieces. 

Six  tall  hunters,  lithe  and  limber. 

Bore  him  home  on  poles  and  branches. 

Bore  the  body  of  the  beaver; 

But  the  ghost,  the  Jeebi  in  him, 
165  Thought  and  felt  as  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 

Still  lived  on  as  Pau-Puk-Keewis. 
And  it  fluttered,  strove,  and  struggled, 

Waving  hither,  waving  thither. 

As  the  curtains  of  a  wigwam, 
170  Struggle  with  their  thongs  of  deer-skin. 

When  the  wintry  wind  is  blowing; 


THE  SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  199 

Till  it  drew  itself  together, 

Till  it  rose  up  from  the  body, 

Till  it  took  the  form  and  features 
17s  Of  the  cunning  Pau-Puk-Keewis 

Vanishing  into  the  forest. 
But  the  wary  Hiawatha 

Saw  the  figure  ere  it  vanished. 

Saw  the  form  of  Pau-Puk-Keewis 
180  Glide  into  the  soft  blue  shadow 

Of  the  pine-trees  of  the  forest; 

Toward  the  squares  of  white  beyond  it. 

Toward  an  opening  in  the  forest, 

Like  a  wind  it  rushed  and  panted, 
185  Bending  all  the  boughs  before  it, 

And  behind  it,  as  the  rain  comes, 

Came  the  steps  of  Hiawatha. 
To  a  lake  with  many  islands 

Came  the  breathless  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
190  Where  among  the  water-lilies 

Pishnekuh,  the  brant,  were  sailing; 

Through  the  tufts  of  rushes  floating, 

Steering  through  the  reedy  islands. 

Now  their  broad  black  beaks  they  lifted, 
195  Now  they  plunged  beneath  the  water, 

Now  they  darkened  in  the  shadow. 

Now  they  brightened  in  the  sunshine. 
*' Pishnekuh!"  cried  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
"Pishnekuh!  my  brothers!"  said  he, 
200  "Change  me  to  a  brant  with  plumage. 

With  a  shining  neck  and  feathers, 

Make  me  large,  and  make  me  larger. 

Ten  times  larger  than  the  others." 

Straightway  to  a  brant  they  changed  hini, 
205  With  two  huge  and  dusky  pinions, 

With  a  bosom  smooth  and  rounded, 


200  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

With  a  bill  like  two  great  paddles, 
Made  him  larger  than  the  others, 
Ten  times  larger  than  the  largest, 

2IO  Just  as,  shouting  from  the  forest, 

On  the  shore  stood  Hiawatha. 

Up  they  rose  with  cry  and  clamor. 
With  a  whir  and  beat  of  pinions. 
Rose  up  from  the  reedy  islands, 

215  From  the  water- flags  and  lilies. 

And  they  said  to  Pau-Puk-Keewis : 
*'  In  your  flying,  look  not  downward. 
Take  good  heed,  and  look  not  downward, 
Lest  some  strange  mischance  should  happen, 

220  Lest  some  great  mishap  befall  you!" 

Fast  and  far  they  fled  to  northward, 
Fast  and  far  through  mist  and  sunshine. 
Fed  among  the  moors  and  fenlands. 
Slept  among  the  reeds  and  rushes. 

225  On  the  morrow  as  they  journeyed. 

Buoyed  and  lifted  by  the  South- wind. 
Wafted  onward  by  the  South- wind. 
Blowing  fresh  and  strong  behind  them. 
Rose  a  sound  of  human- voices, 

230  Rose  a  clamor  from  beneath  them, 

From  the  lodges  of  a  village. 
From  the  people  miles  beneath  them. 

For  the  people  of  the  village 
Saw  the  flock  of  brant  with  wonder, 

235  Saw  the  wings  of  Pau-Puk-Keewis 

Flapping  far  up  in  the  ether. 
Broader  than  two  doorway  curtains. 

Pau-Puk-Keewis,  heard  the  shouting 
Knew  the  voice  of  Hiawatha, 

240  Knew  the  outcry  of  lagoo. 

And,  forgetful  of  the  warning. 


THE  SONG   OF   HIAWATHA 

Drew  his  neck  in,  and  looked  downward, 
And  the  wind  that  blew  behind  him 
Caught  his  mighty  fan  of  feathers, 

245  Sent  him  wheeling,  whirling  downward! 

All  in  vain  did  Pau-Puk-Keewis 
Struggle  to  regain  his  balance! 
Whirling  round  and  round  and  downward, 
He  beheld  in  turn  the  village 

250  And  in  turn  the  flock  above  him, 

Saw  the  village  coming  nearer. 
And  the  flock  receding  farther. 
Heard  the  voices  growing  louder, 
Heard  the  shouting  and  the  laughter; 

255  Saw  no  more  the  flock  above  him. 

Only  saw  the  earth  beneath  him; 
Dead  out  of  the  empty  heaven, 
Dead  among  the  shouting  people. 
With  a  heavy  sound  and  sullen, 

260  Fell  the  brant  with  broken  pinions. 

But  his  soul,  his  ghost,  his  shadow, 
Still  survived  as  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
Took  again  the  form  and  features 
Of  the  handsome  Yenadizze, 

265  And  again  went  rushing  onward, 

Followed  fast  by  Hiawatha, 
Crying:  "Not  so  wide  the  world  is, 
Not  so  long  and  rough  the  way  is. 
But  my  wrath  shall  overtake  you, 

270  But  my  vengeance  shall  attain  you!" 

And  so  near  he  came,  so  near  him. 
That  his  hand  was  stretched  to  seize  him, 
His  right  hand  to  seize  and  hold  him, 
When  the  cunning  Pau-Puk-Keewis 

275  Whirled  and  spun  about  in  circles. 

Fanned  the  air  into  a  whirlwind, 


202  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Danced  the  dust  and  leaves  about  him, 
And  amid  the  whirling  eddies 
Sprang  into  a  hollow  oak-tree, 

280  Changed  himself  into  a  serpent, 

Gliding  out  through  root  and  rubbish. 

With  his  right  hand  Hiawatha 
Smote  amain  the  hollow  oak-tree. 
Rent  it  into  shreds  and  splinters, 

285  Left  it  lying  there  in  fragments. 

But  in  vain;  for  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
Once  again  in  human  figure. 
Full  in  sight  ran  on  before  him, 
Sped  away  in  gust  and  whirlwind, 

290  On  the  shores  of  Gitche  Gumee, 

Westward  by  the  Big-Sea- Water, 
Came  unto  the  rocky  headlands. 
To  the  Pictured  Rocks  of  sandstone. 
Looking  over  lake  and  landscape. 

29s  And  the  Old  Man  of  the  Mountain, 

He  the  Manito  of  Mountains, 
Opened  wide  his  rocky  doorways. 
Opened  wide  his  deep  abysses. 
Giving  Pau-Puk-Keewis  shelter 

300  In  his  caverns  dark  and  dreary. 

Bidding  Pau-Puk-Keewis  welcome 
To  his  gloomy  lodge  of  sandstone.    " 

There  without  stood  Hiawatha, 
Found  the  doorways  closed  against  him, 

305  With  his  mittens,  Minjekahwun, 

Smote  great  caverns  in  the  sandstone. 
Cried  aloud  in  tones  of  thunder, 
"Open!    I  am  Hiawatha!" 
But  the  Old  Man  of  the  Mountain 

310  Opened  not,  and  made  no  answer 

From  the  silent  crags  of  sandstone, 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  203 

From  the  gloomy  rock  abysses. 

Then  he  raised  his  hands  to  heaven, 
Called  imploring  on  the  tempest, 
Called  Waywassimo,  the  lightning. 
And  the  thunder,  Annemeekee; 
And  they  came  with  night  and  darkness 
Sweeping  down  the  Big-Sea- Water 
From  the  distant  Thunder  Mountains; 
And  the  trembling  Pau-Puk-Keewis 
Heard  the  footsteps  of  the  thunder. 
Saw  the  red  eyes  of  the  lightning, 
Was  afraid,  and  crouched  and  trembled. 

Then  Waywassimo,  the  lightning. 
Smote  the  doorways  of  the  caverns. 
With  his  war-club  smote  the  doorways. 
Smote  the  jutting  crags  of  sandstone. 
And  the  thunder,  Annemeekee, 
Shouted  down  into  the  caverns. 
Saying,  "Where  is  Pau-Puk-Keewis?" 
And  the  crags  fell,  and  beneath  them 
Dead  among  the  rocky  ruins 
Lay  the  cunning  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
Lay  the  handsome  Yenadizze, 
Slain  in  his  own  human  figure. 

Ended  were  his  wild  adventures. 
Ended  were  his  tricks  and  gambols. 
Ended  all  his  craft  and  cunning. 
Ended  all  his  mischief-making, 
All  his  gambling  and  his  dancing. 
All  his  wooing  of  the  maidens. 

Then  the  noble  Hiawatha 
Took  his  soul,  his  ghost,  his  shadow. 
Spake  and  said:  ''O  Pau-Puk-Keewis, 
Never  more  in  human  figure 
Shall  you  search  for  new  adventures; 


204  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Never  more  with  jest  and  laughter 
Dance  the  dust  and  leaves  in  whirlwinds; 
But  above  there  in  the  heavens 

350  You  shall  soar  and  sail  in  circles; 

I  will  change  you  to  an  eagle, 
To  Keneu,  the  great  war-eagle, 
Chief  of  all  the  fowls  with  feathers, 
Chief  of  Hiawatha's  chickens." 

355  And  the  name  of  Pau-Puk-Keewis 

Lingers  still  among  the  people, 
Lingers  still  among  the  singers, 
And  among  the  story-tellers; 
And  in  Winter,  when  the  snowflakes 

360  Whirl  in  eddies  round  the  lodges, 

When  the  wind  in  gusty  tumult 
O'er  the  smoke- flue  pipes  and  whistles, 
''There,"  they  cry,  "comes  Pau-Puk-Keewis; 
He  is  dancing  through  the  village, 

365  He  is  gathering  in  his  harvest!" 


XVIII 

The  Death  of  Kwasind 

Far  and  wide  among  the  nations 
Spread  the  name  and  fame  of  Kwasind ; 
No  man  dared  to  strive  with  Kwasind, 
No  man  could  compete  with  Kwasind. 
But  the  mischievous  Puk-Wudjies, 
They  the  envious  Little  People, 
They  the  fairies  and  the  pygmies, 
Plotted  and  conspired  against  him. 
"If  this  hateful  Kwasind,"  said  they, 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  205 

10  *'If  this  great  outrageous  fellow 

Goes  on  thus  a  little  longer, 

Tearing  everything  he  touches, 

Rending  everything  to  pieces. 

Filling  all  the  world  with  wonder, 
15  What  becomes  of  the  Puk-Wudjies? 

Who  will  care  for  the  Puk-Wudjies? 

He  will  tread  us  down  like  mushrooms, 

Drive  us  all  into  the  water. 

Give  our  bodies  to  be  eaten 
20  By  the  wicked  Nee-ba-naw-baigs, 

By  the  Spirits  of  the  water  I" 
So  the  angry  Little  People 

All  conspired  against  the  Strong  Man, 

All  conspired  to  murder  Kwasind, 
25  Yes,  to  rid  the  world  of  Kwasind, 

The  audacious,  overbearing, 

Heartless,  haughty,  dangerous  Kwasind! 
Now  this  wondrous  strength  of  Kwasind 

In  his  crown  alone  was  seated ; 
30  In  his  crown  too  was  his  weakness; 

There  alone  could  he  be  wounded. 

Nowhere  else  could  weapon  pierce  him. 

Nowhere  else  could  weapon  harm  him. 
Even  there  the  only  weapon 
35  That  could  wound  him,  that  could  slay  him. 

Was  the  seed-cone  of  the  pine-tree, 

Was  the  blue  cone  of  the  fir-tree. 

This  was  Kwasind 's  fatal  secret, 

Known  to  no  man  among  mortals, 
40  But  the  cunning  Little  People, 

The  Puk-Wudjies,  knew  the  secret, 

Knew  the  only  way  to  kill  him. 
So  they  gathered  cones  together, 

Gathered  seed -cones  .of  the  pine-tree, 


2o6    '  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

45  Gathered  blue  cones  of  the  fir-tree, 

In  the  woods  by  Taquamenaw, 
Brought  them  to  the  river's  margin, 
Heaped  them  in  great  piles  together, 
Where  the  red  rocks  from  the  margin 

50  Jutting  overhang  the  river. 

There  they  lay  in  wait  for  Kwasind, 
The  malicious  Little  People. 

'Twas  an  afternoon  in  Summer; 
Very  hot  and  still  the  air  was, 

55  Very  smooth  the  gliding  river, 

Motionless  the  sleeping  shadows; 
Insects  glistened  in  the  sunshine, 
Insects  skated  on  the  water. 
Filled  the  drowsy  air  with  buzzing, 

60  With  a  far  resounding  war-cry. 

Down  the  river  came  the  Strong  Man, 
In  his  birch  canoe  came  Kwasind, 
Floating  slowly  down  the  current 
Of  the  sluggish  Taquamenaw, 

65  Very  languid  with  the  weather. 

Very  sleepy  with  the  silence. 

From  the  overhanging  branches, 
From  the  tassels  of  the  birch-trees. 
Soft  the  Spirit  of  Sleep  descended; 

70  By  his  airy  hosts  surrounded. 

His  invisible  attendants, 
Came  the  Spirit  of  Sleep,  Nepahwin; 
Like  the  burnished  Dush-kwo-ne-she, 
Like  a  dragon-fly  he  hovered 

75  O'er  the  drowsy  head  of  Kwasind. 

To  his  ear  there  came  a  murmur 
As  of  waves  upon  a  seashore. 
As  of  far-off  tumbling  waters. 
As  of  winds  among  the  pine-trees; 


THE  SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  207 

80  And  he  felt  upon  his  forehead 

Blows  of  little  airy  war-clubs, 

Wielded  by  the  slumbrous  legions 

Of  the  Spirit  of  Sleep,  Nepahwin, 

As  of  someone  breathing  on  him. 
85  At  the  first  blow  of  their  war- clubs, 

Fell  a  drowsiness  on  Kwasind ; 

At  the  second  blow  they  smote  him, 

Motionless  his  paddle  rested; 

At  the  third,  before  his  vision 
90  Reeled  the  landscape  into  darkness, 

Very  sound  asleep  was  Kwasind. 
So  he  floated  down  the  river, 

Like  a  blind  man  seated  upright, 

Floated  down  the  Taquamenaw, 
95  Underneath  the  trembling  birch-trees, 

Underneath  the  wooded  headlands. 

Underneath  the  war  encampment 

Of  the  pygmies,  the  Puk-Wudjies. 

There  they  stood,  all  armed  and  waiting, 
100  Hurled  the  pine-cones  down  upon  him. 

Struck  him  on  his  brawny  shoulders. 

On  his  crown  defenceless  struck  him. 
**  Death  to  Kwasind  1"  was  the  sudden 

War-cry  of  the  Little  People. 
105  And  he  sideways  swayed  and  tumbled, 

Sideways  fell  into  the  river. 

Plunged  beneath  the  sluggish  water 

Headlong,  as  an  otter  plunges; 

And  the  birch-canoe,  abandoned, 
no  Drifted  empty  down  the  river. 

Bottom  upward  swerved  and  drifted ; 

Nothing  more  was  seen  of  Kwasind. 
But  the  memory  of  the  Strong  Man 

Lingered  long  among  the  people, 


2o8  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

115  And  whenever  through  the  forest 

Raged  and  roared  the  wintry  tempest, 
And  the  branches,  tossed  and  troubled. 
Creaked  and  groaned  and  spht  asunder, 
"Kwasind!"  cried  they;  "that  is  Kwasind! 

120  He  is  gathering  in  his  fire-wood!" 


XIX 

The  Ghosts 

Never  stoops  the  soaring  vulture 
On  his  quarry  in  the  desert, 
On  the  sick  or  wounded  bison. 
But  another  vulture,  watching 
5  From  his  high  aerial  look-out, 

Sees  the  downward  plunge,  and  follows; 
And  a  third  pursues  the  second. 
Coming  from  the  invisible  ether; 
First  a  speck,  and  then  a  vulture, 

10  Till  the  air  is  dark  with  pinions. 

So  disasters  come  not  singly; 
But  as  if  they  watched  and  waited, 
Scanning  one  another's  motions. 
When  the  first  descends,  the  others 

15  Follow,  follow,  gathering  flock-wise 

Round  their  victim,  sick  and  wounded, 
First  a  shadow,  then  a  sorrow, 
Till  the  air  is  dark  with  anguish. 
Now,  o'er  all  the  dreary  Northland, 

20  Mighty  Peboan,  the  Winter, 

Breathing  on  the  lakes  and  rivers, 
Into  stone  had  changed  their  waters. 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  209 

From  his  hair  he  shook  the  snowflakes, 

Till  the  plains  were  strewn  with  whiteness, 
25  One  uninterrupted  level, 

As  if,  stooping,  the  Creator 

With  his  hands  had  smoothed  them  over. 
Through  the  forest,  wide  and  wailing, 

Roamed  the  hunter  on  his  snowshoes; 
30  In  the  village  worked  the  women. 

Pounded  maize,  or  dressed  the  deer-skin, 

And  the  young  men  played  together 

On  the  ice  the  noisy  ball-play. 

On  the  plain  the  dance  of  snowshoes. 
35  One  dark  evening,  after  sundown, 

In  her  wigwam  Laughing  Water 

Sat  with  old  Nokomis,  waiting 

For  the  steps  of  Hiawatha 

Homeward  from  the  hunt  returning. 
40  On  their  faces  gleamed  the  firelight. 

Painting  them  with  streaks  of  crimson, 

In  the  eyes  of  old  Nokomis 

Glimmered  like  the  watery  moonlight, 

In  the  eyes  of  Laughing  Water 
45  Glistened  like  the  sun  in  water; 

And  behind  them  crouched  their  shadows 

In  the  comers  of  the  wigwam. 

And  the  smoke  in  wreaths  above  them 

Climbed  and  crowded  through  the  smoke-flue. 
50  Then  the  curtain  of  the  doorway 

From  without  was  slowly  lifted ; 

Brighter  glowed  the  fire  a  moment. 

And  a  moment  swerved  the  smoke-wreath, 

As  two  women  entered  softly, 
55  Passed  ,the  doorway  uninvited. 

Without  word  of  salutation. 

Without  sign  of  recognition, 


2IO  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Sat  down  in  the  farthest  comer, 
Crouching  low  among  the  shadows. 

60  From  their  aspect  and  their  garments, 

Strangers  seemed  they  in  the  village; 
Very  pale  and  haggard  were  they, 
As  they  sat  there  sad  and  silent, 
Trembling,  cowering,  with  the  shadows. 

65  "  Was  it  the  wind  above  the  smoke- flue, 

Muttering  down  into  the  wigwam  ? 
Was  it  the  owl,  the  Koko-koho, 
Hooting  from  the  dismal  forest  ? 
Sure  a  voice  said  in  the  silence : 

70  *' These  are  corpses  clad  in  garments, 

These  are  ghosts  that  come  to  haunt  you, 
From  the  kingdom  of  Ponemah, 
From  the  land  of  the  Hereafter!" 
Homeward  now  came  Hiawatha 

75  From  his  hunting  in  the  forest. 

With  the  snow  upon  his  tresses, 
•  And  the  red  deer  on  his  shoulders. 
At  the  feet  of  Laughing  Water 
Down  he  threw  his  lifeless  burden; 

80  Nobler,  handsomer  she  thought  him. 

Than  when  first  he  came  to  woo  her, 
First  threw  down  the  deer  before  her, 
As  a  token  of  his  wishes, 
As  a  promise  of  the  future. 

85  Then  he  turned  and  saw  the  strangers, 

Cowering,  crouching  with  the  shadows, 
Said  within  himself,  "Who  are  they? 
What  strange  guests  has  Minnehaha?" 
But  he  questioned  not  the  strangers, 

90  Only  spake  to  bid  them  welcome 

To  his  lodge,  his  food,  his  fireside. 
When  the  evening  meal  was  ready, 


THE   SONG  OF   HIAWATHA  211 

And  the  deer  had  been  divided, 

Both  the  pallid  guests,  the  strangers, 
95  Springing  from  among  the  shadows, 

Seized  upon  the  choicest  portions. 

Seized  the  white  fat  of  the  roebuck, 

Set  apart  for  Laughing  Water, 

For  the  wife  of  Hiawatha; 
100  Without  asking,  without  thanking, 

Eagerly  devoured  the  morsels. 

Flitted  back  among  the  shadows 

In  the  comer  of  the  wigwam. 
Not  a  word  spake  Hiawatha, 
105  Not  a  motion  made  Nokomis, 

Not  a  gesture  Laughing  Water; 

Not  a  change  came  o'er  their  features; 

Only  Minnehaha  softly 

Whispered,  saying,  "They  are  famished; 
1 10  Let  them  do  what  best  delights  them ; 

Let  them  eat,  for  they  are  famished." 
Many  a  daylight  dawned  and  darkened, 

Many  a  night  shook  ofif  the  daylight 

As  the  pine  shakes  off  the  snowflakes 
115  From  the  midnight  of  its  branches; 

Day  by  day  the  guests  unmoving 

Sat  there  silent  in  the  wigwam ; 

But  by  night,  in  storm  or  starlight, 

Forth  they  went  into  the  forest, 
120  Bringing  fire- wood  to  the  wigwam, 

Bringing  pine-cones  for  the  burning. 

Always  sad  and  always  silent. 
And  whenever  Hiawatha 

Came  from  fishing  or  from  hunting, 
125  When  the  evening  meal  was  ready, 

And  the  food  had  been  divided. 

Gliding  from  their  darksome  corner, 


212  STANDARD  CLASSIC  READER 

Came  the  pallid  guests,  the  strangers, 
Seized  upon  the  choicest  portions 
130  Set  aside  for  Laughing  Water, 

And  without  rebuke  or  question 
Flitted  back  among  the  shadows. 

Never  once  had  Hiawatha 
By  a  word  or  look  reproved  them; 

135  Never  once  had  old  Nokomis 

Made  a  gesture  of  impatience; 
Never  once  had  Laughing  Water 
Shown  resentment  at  the  outrage. 
All  had  they  endured  in  silence, 

140  That  the  rights  of  guest  and  stranger. 

That  the  virtue  of  free-giving. 
By  a  look  might  not  be  lessened, 
By  a  word  might  not  be  broken. 
Once  at  midnight  Hiawatha, 

145  Ever  wakeful,  ever  watchful, 

In  the  wigwam,  dimly  lighted 
By  the  brands  that  still  were  burning. 
By  the  glimmering,  flickering  firelight, 
Heard  a  sighing,  oft  repeated, 

150  Heard  a  sobbing,  as  of  sorrow, 

From  his  couch  rose  Hiawatha, 
From  his  shaggy  hides  of  bison. 
Pushed  aside  the  deer-skin  curtain, 
Saw  the  pallid  guests,  the  shadows, 

155  Sitting  upright  on  their  couches. 

Weeping  in  the  silent  midnight. 

And  he  said:  "O  guests!  why  is  it 
That  your  hearts  are  so  afl3icted. 
That  you  sob  so  in  the  midnight  ? 

160  Has  perchance  the  old  Nokomis, 

Has  my  wife,  my  Minnehaha, 
Wronged  or  grieved  you  by  unkind ness, 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA 

Failed  in  hospitable  duties?" 
Then  the  shadows  ceased  from  weeping, 
165  Ceased  from  sobbing  and  lamenting, 

And  they  said,  with  gentle  voices : 
"We  are  ghosts  of  the  departed. 

Souls  of  those  who  once  were  with  you. 

From  the  realms  of  Chibiabos 
170  Hither  have  we  come  to  try  you, 

Hither  have  we  come  to  warn  you. 
*' Cries  of  grief  and  lamentation 

Reach  us  in  the  Blessed  Islands; 

Cries  of  anguish  from  the  living, 
175  Calling  back  their  friends  departed, 

Sadden  us  with  useless  sorrow. 

Therefore  have  we  come  to  try  you ; 

No  one  knows  us,  no  one  heeds  us. 

We  are  but  a  burden  to  you, 
180  And  we  see  that  the  departed 

Have  no  place  among  the  living. 
' '  Think  of  this,  O  Hiawatha ! 

Speak  of  it  to  all  the  people. 

That  henceforward  and  forever 
185  They  no  more  with  lamentations 

Sadden  the  souls  of  the  departed 

In  the  Islands  of  the  Blessed. 
"Do  not  lay  such  heavy  burdens 

In  the  graves  of  those  you  bury, 
190  Not  such  weight  of  furs  and  wampum, 

Not  such  weight  of  pots  and  kettles. 

For  the  spirits  faint  beneath  them. 

Only  give  them  food  to  carry. 

Only  give  them  fire  to  light  them. 
19s  "Four  days  is  the  spirit's  journey 

To  the  land  of  ghosts  and  shadows. 

Four  its  lonely  night  encampments;    . 


213 


214  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Four  times  must  their  fires  be  lighted. 
Therefore,  when  the  dead  are  buried, 

2CX  Let  a  fire,  as  night  approaches, 

Four  times  on  the  grave  be  kindled, 
Thai  the  soul  upon  its  journey 
May  not  lack  the  cheerful  firelight, 
May  not  grope  about  in  darkness. 

205  "Farewell,  noble  Hiawatha! 

We  have  put  you  to  the  trial. 
To  the  proof  have  put  your  patience, 
By  the  insult  of  our  presence, 
By  the  outrage  of  our  actions. 

210  We  have  found  you  great  and  noble, 

Fail  not  in  the  greater  trial. 
Faint  not  in  the  harder  struggle." 

When  they  ceased,  a  sudden  darkness 
Fell  and  filled  the  silent  wigwam. 

215  Hiawatha  heard  a  rustle 

As  of  garments  trailing  by  liim. 
Heard  the  curtain  of  the  doorway 
Lifted  by  a  hand  he  saw  not. 
Felt  the  cold  breath  of  the  night  air, 

220  For  a  moment  saw  the  starlight; 

But  he  saw  the  ghosts  no  longer, 
Saw  no  more  the  wandering  spirits 
From  the  kingdom  of  Ponemah, 
From  the  land  of  the  Hereafter. 


XX 

The  Famine 

O  the  long  and  dreary  Winter! 
O  the  cold  and  cruel  Winter! 


THE  SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  215 

Ever  thicker,  thicker,  thicker 

Froze  the  ice  on  lake  and  river, 
5  Ever  deeper,  deeper,  deeper 

Fell  the  snow  o'er  all  the  landscape, 

Fell  the  covering  snow,  and  drifted 

Through  the  forest,  round  the  village. 
Hardly  from  his  buried  wigwam 
10  Could  the  hunter  force  a  passage, 

With  his  mittens  and  his  snowshoes 

Vainly  walked  he  through  the  forest. 

Sought  for  bird  or  beast  and  found  none, 

Saw  no  track  of  deer  or  rabbit, 
15  In  the  snow  beheld  no  footprints. 

In  the  ghastly,  gleaming  forest 

Fell,  and  could  not  rise  from  weakness, 

Perished  there  from  cold  and  hunger. 
O  the  famine  and  the  fever  I 
20  O  the  wasting  of  the  famine! 

O  the  blasting  of  the  fever! 

O  the  wailing  of  the  children  I 

O  the  anguish  of  the  women! 
All  the  earth  was  sick  and  famished ; 
25  Hungry  was  the  air  around  them. 

Hungry  was  the  sky  above  them. 

And  the  hungry  stars  in  heaven 

Like  the  eyes  of  wolves  glared  at  them! 
Into  Hiawatha's  wigwam 
30  Came  two  other  guests,  as  silent 

As  the  ghosts  were,  and  as  gloomy, 

Waited  not  to  be  invited, 

Did  not  parley  at  the  doorway. 

Sat  there  without  word  of  welcome 
35  In  the  seat  of  Laughing  Water; 

Looked  with  haggard  eyes  and  hollow 

At  the  face  of  Laughing  Water. 


2i6  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

And  the  foremost  said:    "Behold  me! 

I  am  Famine,  Bukadawin!" 
40  And  the  other  said:  ''Behold  me! 

I  am  Fever,  Ahkosewin!" 
And  the  lovely  Minnehaha 

Shuddered  as  they  looked  upon  her. 

Shuddered  at  the  words  they  uttered, 
45  Lay  down  on  her  bed  in  silence, 

Hid  her  face,  but  made  no  answer; 

Lay  there  trembling,  freezing,  burning 

At  the  looks  they  cast  upon  her. 

At  the  fearful  words  they  uttered. 
50  Forth  into  the  empty  forest 

Rushed  the  maddened  Hiawatha; 

In  his  heart  was  deadly  sorrow. 

In  his  face  a  stony  firmness; 

On  his  brow  the  sweat  of  anguish 
55  Startied,  but  it  froze  and  fell  not. 

Wrapped  in  furs  and  armed  for  hunting, 

With  his  mighty  bow  of  ash-tree. 

With  his  quiver  full  of  arrows. 

With  his  mittens,  Minjekahwun, 
60  Into  the  vast  and  vacant  forest 

On  his  snowshoes  strode  he  forward. 
"Gitche  Manito,  the  Mighty!" 

Cried  he  with  his  face  uplifted 

In  that  bitter  hour  of  anguish, 
65  ''Give  your  children  food,  O  father! 

Give  us  food,  or  we  must  perish! 

Give  me  food  for  Minnehaha, 

For  my  dying  Minnehaha!" 

Through  the  far-resounding  forest, 
70  Through  the  forest  vast  and  vacant 

Rang  that  cry  of  desolation, 

But  there  came  no  other  answer 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  217 

Than  the  echo  of  his  crying, 
Than  the  echo  of  the  woodlands, 
75  "Minnehaha!     Minnehaha!" 

All  day  long  roved  Hiawatha 
In  that  melancholy  forest, 
Through  the  shadow  of  whose  thickets. 
In  the  pleasant  days  of  Summer, 
80  Of  that  ne'er  forgotten  Summer, 

He  had  brought  his  young  wife  homeward 
From  the  land  of  the  Dacotahs: 
When  the  birds  sang  in  the  thickets. 
And  the  streamlets  laughed  and  glistened, 
85  And  the  air  was  full  of  fragrance. 

And  the  lovely  Laughing  Water 
Said  with  voice  that  did  not  tremble, 
"I  will  follow  you,  my  husband!" 
In  the  wigwam  with  Nokomis, 
90  With  those  gloomy  guests,  that  watched  her, 

With  the  Famine  and  the  Fever, 
She  was  lying,  the  Beloved, 
She  the  dying  Minnehaha. 

"Hark!"  she  said;  "I  hear  a  rushing, 
95  Hear  a  roaring  and  a  rushing. 

Hear  the  Falls  of  Minnehaha 
Calling  to  me  from  a  distance!" 
"No,  my  child!"  said  old  Nokomis, 
"'T  is  the  night-wind  in  the  pine-trees!" 
100  "Look!"  she  said;   "I  see  my  father 

Standing  lonely  at  his  doorway. 
Beckoning  to  me  from  his  wigwam 
In  the  land  of  the  Dacotahs!" 
"No,  my  child!"  said  old  Nokomis, 
105  "  'T  is  the  smoke  that  waves  and  beckons!" 

"Ah!"   said  she,  "the  eyes  of  Pauguk 
Glare  upon  me  in  the  darkness, 


2i8  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

I  can  feel  his  icy  fingers 

Clasping  mine  amid  the  darkness! 

no  Hiawatha!     Hiawatha!" 

And  the  desolate  Hiawatha, 
Far  away  amid  the  forest, 
Miles  away  among  the  mountains, 
Heard  that  sudden  cry  of  anguish, 

IIS  Heard  the  voice  of  Minnehaha 

Calling  to  him  in  the  darkness, 
"  Hiawatha !    Hiawatha ! " 

Over  snow-fields  waste  and  pathless, 
Under  snow-encumbered  branches, 

120  Homeward  hurried  Hiawatha, 

Empty-handed,   heavy-hearted, 
Heard  Nokomis  moaning,  wailing: 
*  *  Wahonowin !    Wahonowin ! 
Would  that  I  had  perished  for  you, 

125  Would  that  I  were  dead  as  you  are! 

Wahonowin!     Wahonowin! 

And  he  rushed  into  the  wigwam. 
Saw  the  old  Nokomis  slowly 
Rocking  to  and  fro  and  moaning,     • 

130  Saw  his  lovely  Minnehaha, 

Lying  dead  and  cold  before  him, 
And  his  bursting  heart  within  him 
Uttered  such  a  cry  of  anguish. 
That  the  forest  moaned  and  shuddered, 

135  That  the  very  stars  in  heaven 

Shook  and  trembled  with  his  anguish. 

Then  he  sat  down,  still  and  speechless. 
On  the  bed  of  Minnehaha, 
At  the  feet  of  Laughing  Water, 

140  At  those  willing  feet,  that  never 

More  would  lightly  run  to  meet  him, 
Never  more  would  lightly  follow. 


THE  SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  219 

With  both  hands  his  face  he  covered, 

Seven  long  days  and  nights  he  sat  there, 
14s  As  if  in  a  swoon  he  sat  there, 

Speechless,  motionless,  unconscious 

Of  the  daylight  or  the  darkness. 
Then  they  buried  Minnehaha; 

In  the  snow  a  grave  they  made  her. 
150  In  the  forest  deep  and  darksome. 

Underneath  the  moaning  hemlocks; 

Clothed  her  in  her  richest  garments, 

Wrapped  her  in  her  robes  of  ermine; 

Covered  her  with  snow,  hke  ermine, 
155  Thus  they  buried  Minnehaha. 

And  at  night  a  fire  was  hghted. 

On  her  grave  four  times  was  kindled, 

For  her  soul  upon  its  journey 

To  the  Islands  of  the  Blessed. 
160  From  his  doorway  Hiawatha 

Saw  it  burning  in  the  forest. 

Lighting  up  the  gloomy  hemlocks; 

From  his  sleepless  bed  uprising. 

From  the  bed  of  Minnehaha, 
165  Stood  and  watched  it  at  the  doorway. 

That  it  might  not  be  extinguished. 

Might  not  leave  her  in  the  darkness. 
" Farewell!"  said  he,  "Minnehaha! 

Farewell,  O  my  Laughing  Water! 
170  All  my  heart  is  buried  with  you, 

All  my  thoughts  go  onward  with  you! 

Come  not  back  again  to  labor. 

Come  not  back  again  to  suffer. 

Where  the  Famine  and  the  Fever 
175  Wear  the  heart  and  waste  the  body. 

Soon  my  task  will  be  completed. 

Soon  your  footsteps  I  shall  follow 


220  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

To  the  Islands  of  the  Blessed, 
To  the  Kingdom  of  Ponemah, 
i8o  To  the  land  of  the  Hereafterl" 


XXI 

The  White  Man's  Foot 

In  his  lodge  beside  a  river, 
Close  beside  a  frozen  river, 
Sat  an  old  man,  sad  and  lonely, 
White  his  hair  was  as  a  snow-drift; 
5  Dull  and  low  his  fire  was  burning. 

And  the  old  man  shook  and  trembled, 
Folded  in  his  Waubewyon, 
In  his  tattered  white-skin  wrapper. 
Hearing  nothing  but  the  tempest 

lo  As  it  roared  along  the  forest. 

Seeing  nothing  but  the  snow-storm, 
As  it  whirled  and  hissed  and  drifted. 
All  the  coals  were  white  with  ashes, 
And  the  fire  was  slowly  dying, 

15   .  As  a  young  man,  walking  lightly. 

At  the  open  doorway  entered. 
Red  with  blood  of  youth  his  cheeks  were, 
Soft  his  eyes,  as  stars  in  Spring-time, 
Bound  his  forehead  was  with  grasses, 

20  Bound  and  plumed  with  scented  grasses; 

On  his  lips  a  smile  of  beauty. 
Filling  all  the  lodge  with  sunshine, 
In  his  hand  a  bunch  of  blossoms 
Filling  all  the  lodge  with  sweetness, 

25  "Ah,  my  son!"  exclaimed  the  old  man, 

**  Happy  are  my  eyes  to  see  you. 


THE  SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  221 

Sit  here  on  the  mat  beside  me, 

Sit  here  by  the  dying  embers, 

Let  us  pass  the  night  together, 
30  Tell  me  of  your  strange  adventures. 

Of  the  lands  where  you  have  traveled; 

I  will  tell  you  of  my  prowess. 

Of  my  many  deeds  of  wonder." 
From  his  pouch  he  drew  his  peace-pipe, 
35  Very  old  and  strangely  fashioned ; 

Made  of  red  stone  was  the  pipe-head, 

And  the  stem  a  reed  with  feathers; 

Filled  the  pipe  with  bark  of  willow, 

Placed  a  burning  coal  upon  it, 
40  Gave  it  to  his  guest,  the  stranger. 

And  began  to  speak  in  this  wise: 
"  When  I  blow  my  breath  about  me, 

When  I  breathe  upon  the  landscape. 

Motionless  are  all  the  rivers, 
45  Hard  as  stone  becomes  the  water!" 

And  the  young  man  answered,  smiling: 
"When  I  blow  my  breath  about  me, 

When  I  breathe  upon  the  landscape. 

Flowers  spring  up  o'er  all  the  meadows, 
50  Singing,  onward  rush  the  rivers!" 

"When  I  shake  my  hoary  tresses," 

Said  the  old  man  darkly  frowning, 
"All  the  land  with  snow  is  covered; 

All  the  leaves  from  all  the  branches 
55  Fall  and  fade  and  die  and  wither. 

For  I  breathe,  and  lo  1  they  are  not. 

From  the  waters  and  the  marshes 

Rise  the  wild  goose  and  the  heron. 

Fly  away  to  distant  regions, 
60  For  I  speak,  and  lo !  they  are  not. 

And  where'er  my  footsteps  wander, 


222  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

All  the  wild  beasts  of  the  forest 
Hide  themselves  in  holes  and  caverns, 
And  the  earth  becomes  as  flint-stone!" 

6s  "When  I  shake  my  flowing  ringlets," 

Said  the  young  man,  softly  laughing, 
"Showers  of  rain  fall  warm  and  welcome, 
Plants  lift  up  their  heads  rejoicing, 
Back  unto  their  lakes  and  marshes 

70  Come  the  wild  goose  and  the  heron. 

Homeward  shoots  the  arrowy  swallow, 
Sing  the  bluebird  and  the  robin. 
And  where'er  my  footsteps  wander. 
All  the  meadows  wave  with  blossoms, 

75  All  the  woodlands  ring  with  music. 

All  the  trees  are  dark  with  foHage!" 

While  they  spake,  the  night  departed : 
From  the  distant  realms  of  Wabun, 
From  his  shining  lodge  of  silver, 

80  Like  a  warrior  robed  and  painted. 

Came  the  sun,  and  said,  "Behold  me! 
Gheezis,  the  great  sun,  behold  me!" 

Then  the  old  man's  tongue  was  speechless 
And  the  air  grew  warm  and  pleasant, 

85  And  upon  the  wigwam  sweetly 

Sang  the  bluebird  and  the  robin, 
And  the  stream  began  to  murmur, 
And  a  scent  of  growing  grasses 
Through  the  lodge  was  gently  wafted. 

90  And  Segwun,  the  youthful  stranger, 

More  distinctly  in  the  daylight 
Saw  the  icy  face  before  him; 
It  was  Peboan,  the  Winter! 

From  his  eyes  the  tears  were  flowing, 

95  As  from  melting  lakes  the  streamlets. 

And  his  body  shrunk  and  dwindled 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  223 

As  the  shouting  sun  ascended, 

Till  into  the  air  it  faded, 

Till  into  the  ground  it  vanished, 
100  And  the  young  man  saw  before  him. 

On  the  hearth-stone  of  the  wigwam, 

Where  the  fire  had  smoked  and  smouldered, 

Saw  the  earliest  flower  of  Spring-time, 

Saw  the  beauty  of  the  Spring-time, 
105  Saw  the  Miskodeed  in  blossom. 

Thus  it  was  that  in  the  Northland 

After  that  unheard-of  coldness. 

That  intolerable  Winter, 

Came  the  Spring  with  all  its  splendor, 
no  All  its  birds  and  all  its  blossoms. 

All  its  flowers  and  leaves  and  grasses. 
Sailing  on  the  wind  to  northward. 

Flying  in  great  flocks,  like  arrows, 

Like  huge  arrows  shot  through  heaven, 
IIS  Passed  the  swan,  the  Mahnahbezee, 

Speaking  almost  as  a  man  speaks; 

And  in  long  lines  waving,  bending 

Like  a  bow-string  snapped  asunder. 

Came  the  white  goose,  Waw-be-wawa; 
120  And  in  pairs,  or  singly  flying, 

Mahng  the  loon,  with  clangorous  pinions, 

The  blue  heron,  the  Shuh-shuh-gah, 

And  the  grouse,  the  Mushkodasa. 
In  the  thickets  and  the  meadows . 
125  Piped  the  bluebird,  the  Owaissa, 

On  the  summit  of  the  lodges 

Sang  the  the  robin,  Opechee, 

In  the  covert  of  the  pine-trees 

Cooed  the  pigeon,  the  Omeme, 
130  And  the  sorrowing  Hiawatha, 

Speechless  in  his  infinite  sorrow, 


324  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Heard  their  voices  calling  to  him, 
Went  forth  from  his  gloomy  doorway, 
Stood  and  gazed  into  tlie  heaven, 

13s  Gazed  upon  the  earth  and  waters. 

From  his  wanderings  far  to  eastward, 
From  the  regions  of  the  morning, 
From  the  shining  land  of  Wabun, 
Homeward  now  returned  lagoo, 

140  The  great  traveler,  the  great  boaster. 

Full  of  new  and  strange  adventures. 
Marvels  many  and  many  wonders. 

And  the  people  of  the  village 
Listened  to  him  as  he  told  them 

145  Of  his  marvellous  adventures, 

Laughing  answered  him  in  this  wise: 
*'Ugh!   it  is  indeed  lagoo! 
No  one  else  beholds  such  wonders  I" 
He  had  seen,  he  said,  a  water 

150  Bigger  than  the  Big-Sea- Water, 

Broader  than  the  Gitche  Gumee, 
Bitter  so  that  none  could  drink  it  I 
At  each  other  looked  the  warriors. 
Looked  the  women  at  each  other, 

155  Smiled,  and  said,  "It  cannot  be  sol 

Kaw!"  they  said,  "It  cannot  be  so;" 

O'er  it,  said  he,  o'er  this  water 
Came  a  great  canoe  with  pinions, 
A  canoe  with  wings  came  flying, 

160  Bigger  than  a  grove  of  pine-trees, 

Taller  than  the  tallest  tree-tops ! 
And  the  old  men  and  the  women 
Looked  and  tittered  at  each  other; 
"Kaw!"  they  said,  "we  don't  believe  it!" 

165  From  its  mouth,  he  said,  to  greet  him. 

Came  Waywassimo,  the  lightning. 


THE   SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  225 

Came  the  thunder,  Annemeekeel 

And  the  warriors  and  the  women 

Laughed  aloud  at  poor  lagoo; 
170  "Kaw!"  they  said,  "what  tales  you  tell  us!" 

In  it,  said  he,,  came  a  people, 

In  the  great  canoe  with  pinions 

Came,  he  said,  a  hundred  warriors: 

Painted  white  were  all  their  faces 
175  And  with  hair  their  chins  were  covered  1 

And  the  warriors  and  the  women 

Laughed  and  shouted  in  derision, 

Like  the  ravens  on  the  tree-tops, 

Like  the  crows  upon  the  hemlocks. 
180  *'Kaw!"  they  said,  "what  lies  you  tell  us! 

Do  not  think  that  we  believe  them!" 
Only  Hiawatha  laughed  not. 

But  he  gravely  spake  and  answered 

To  their  jeering  and  their  jesting, 
185  "True  is  all  lagoo  tells  us; 

I  have  seen  it  in  a  vision. 

Seen  the  great  canoe  with  pinions, 

Seen  the  people  with  white  faces, 

Seen  the  coming  of  this  bearded 
190  People  of  the  wooden  vessel 

From  the  regions  of  the  morning. 

From  the  shining  land  of  Wabun. 
"Gitche  Manito,  the  Mighty, 

The  Great  Spirit,  the  Creator, 
195  Sends  them  hither  on  his  errand. 

Sends  them  to  us  with  his  message. 

Whereso'er  they  move,  before  them 

Swarms  the  stinging  fly,  the  Ahmo, 

Swarms  the  bee,  the  honey-maker; 
200  Wheresoe'er  they  tread,  beneath  them 

Springs  a  flower  unknown  among  us, 


226  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Springs  the  White-man's  Foot  in  blossom. 
"Let  us  welcome  then  the  strangers, 

Hail  them  as  our  friends  and  brothers, 
205  And  the  heart's  right  hand  of  friendship, 

Give  them  when  they  come  to  see  us. 

Gitche  Man^to,  the  Mighty, 

Said  this  to  me  in  my  vision. 
''  I  beheld,  too,  in  that  vision 
210  All  the  secrets  of  the  future. 

Of  the  distant  days  that  shall  be. 

I  beheld  the  westward  marches 

Of  the  unknown,  crowded  nations. 

All  the  land  was  full  of  people, 
215  Restless,  struggling,  toiling,  striving, 

Speaking  many  tongues,  yet  feeling 

But  one  heart-beat  in  their  bosoms. 

In  the  woodlands  rang  their  axes, 

Smoked  their  towns  in  all  the  valleys, 
220  Over  all  the  lakes  and  rivers 

Rushed  their  great  canoes  of  thunder. 
"Then  a  darker,  drearier  vision 

Passed  before  me,  vague  and  cloudlike: 

I  beheld  our  nation  scattered, 
225  All  forgetful  of  my  counsels, 

Weakened,  warring  with  each  other; 

Saw  the  remnants  of  our  people 
.    Sweeping  westward,  wild  and  woeful, 

Like  the  cloud -rack  of  a  tempest, 
230  Like  the  withered  leaves  of  Autumn!" 

XXII 

Hiawatha's  Departure 

By  the  shore  of  Gitche  Gumee, 
By  the  shining  Big-Sea- Water,   . 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  227 

At  the  doorway  of  his  wigwam, 

In  the  pleasant  Summer  morning, 
5  Hiawatha  stood  and  waited. 

,  All  the  air  was  full  of  freshness, 

All  the  earth  was  bright  and  joyous. 

And  before  him,  through  the  sunshine, 

Westward  toward  the  neighboring  forest 
10  Passed  in  golden  swarms  the  Ahmo, 

Passed  the  bees,  the  honey-makers, 

Burning,  singing  in  the  sunshine. 
Bright  above  him  shone  the  heavens, 

Level  spread  the  lake  before  him; 
15  From  its  bosom  leaped  the  sturgeon, 

Sparkling,  flashing  in  the  sunshine; 
I     On  its  margin  the  great  forest 

Stood  reflected  in  the  water. 

Every  tree-top  had  its  shadow, 
20  Motionless  beneath  the  water. 

From  the  brow  of  Hiawatha 

Gone  was  every  trace  of  sorrow. 

As  the  fog  from  off  the  water. 

As  the  mist  from  off  the  meadow, 
25  With  a  smile  of  joy  and  triumph, 

With  a  look  of  exultation, 

As  of  one  who  in  a  vision 

Sees  what  is  to  be,  but  is  not. 

Stood  and  waited  Hiawatha. 
30  Toward  the  sun  his  hands  were  lifted, 

Both  the  palms  spread  out  against  it. 

And  between  the  parted  fingers 

Fell  the  sunshine  on  his  features, 

Flecked  with  light  his  naked  shoulders, 
35  As  it  falls  and  flecks  an  oak-tree 

Through  the  rifted  leaves  and  branches. 

O'er  the  water  floating,  flying, 


228  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Something  in  the  hazy  distance, 
Something  in  the  mists  of  morning, 

40  Loomed  and  lifted  from  the  water, 

Now  seemed  floating,  now  seemed  flying, 
Coming  nearer,  nearer,  nearer, 
Was  it  Shingebis  the  diver? 
Was  it  the  pelican,  the  Shada  ? 

45  Or  the  heron,  the  Shuh-shuh-gah  ? 

Or  the  white  goose,  Waw-be-wawa, 

With  the  water  dripping,  flashing. 

From  its  glossy  neck  and  feathers? 

It  was  neither  goose  nor  diver, 

so  Neither  pelican  nor  heron. 

O'er  the  water  floating,  flying, 
Through  the  shining  mist  of  morning, 
But  a  birch  canoe  with  paddles, 
Rising,  sinking,  on  the  water, 

55  Dripping,  flashing  in  the  sunshine; 

And  within  it  came  a  people 
From  the  distant  land  of  Wabun, 
From  the  farthest  realms  of  morning 
Came  the  Black-Robe  chief,  the  Prophet, 

60  He  the  Priest  of  Prayer,  the  Pale-Face,- 

With  his  guides  and  his  companions. 

And  the  noble  Hiawatha, 
With  his  hands  aloft  extended, 
Held  aloft  in  sign  of  welcome, 

65  Waited  full  of  exultation, 

Till  the  birch  canoe  with  paddles 
Grated  on  the  shining  pebbles. 
Stranded  on  the  sandy  margin. 
Till  the  Black-Robe  chief,  the  Pale-face, 

70  With  the  cross  upon  his  bosom. 

Landed  on  the  sandy  margin. 
Then  the  joyous  Hiawatha 


THE  SONG  OF  HIAWATHA  229 

Cried  aloud  and  spake  in  this  wise: 
"Beautiful  is  the  sun,  O  strangers, 
When  you  come  so  far  to  see  us  I 
All  our  town  in  peace  awaits  you, 
All  our  doors  stand  open  for  you. 
You  shall  enter  all  our  wigwams, 
For  the  heart's  right  hand  we  give  you. 

"Never  bloomed  the  earth  so  gayly. 
Never  shone  the  sun  so  brightly, 
As  to-day  they  shine  and  blossom 
When  you  come  so  far  to  see  us ! 
Never  was  our  lake  so  tranquil, 
Nor  so  free  from  rocks  and  sand-bars; 
For  your  birch  canoe  in  passing 
Has  removed  both  rock  and  sand-bar. 

"Never  before  had  our  tobacco 
Such  a  sweet  and  pleasant  flavor. 
Never  the  broad  leaves  of  our  cornfields 
Were  so  beautiful  to  look  on. 
As  they  seem  to  us  this  morning, 
When  you  come  so  far  to  see  us!" 

And  the  Black-Robe  chief  made  answer, 
Stammered  in  his  speech  a  little, 
Speaking  words  yet  unfamiliar: 
"Peace  be  with  you,  Hiawatha, 
Peace  be  with  you  and  your  people. 
Peace  of  prayer,  and  peace  of  pardon, 
Peace  of  Christ,  and  joy  of  Mary!" 

Then  the  generous  Hiawatha 
Led  the  strangers  to  his  wigwam. 
Seated  them  on  skins  of  bison, 
Seated  them  on  skins  of  ermine. 
And  the  careful,  old  Nokomis 
Brought  them  food  in  bowls  of  basswood. 
Water  brought  in  birchen  dippers, 


230  STANDARD  CLASSIC  READER 

And  the  calumet,  the  peace-pipe, 
Filled  and  lighted  for  their  smoking. 

no  All  the  old  men  of  the  village, 

All  the  warriors  of  the  nation, 
All  the  Jossakeeds,  the  prophets. 
The  magicians,  the  Wabenos, 
And  the  medicine-men,  the  Medas, 

115  Came  to  bid  the  strangers  welcome; 

"It  is  well,"  they  said,  " O  brothers. 
That  you  come  so  far  to  see  us!" 
In  a  circle  round  the  doorway. 
With  their  pipes  they  sat  in  silence, 

120  Waiting  to  behold  the  strangers, 

Waiting  to  receive  their  message; 
Till  the  Black-Robe  chief,  the  Pale-face, 
From  the  wigwam  came  to  greet  them. 
Stammering  in  his  speech  a  little, 

125  Speaking  words  yet  unfamiliar; 

"it  is  well,"  they  said,  "O  brother, 
That  you  come  so  far  to  see  usl" 

Then  the  Black-Robe  chief,  the  prophet, 
Told  his  message  to  the  people, 

130  Told  the  purport  of  his  mission. 

Told  them  of  the  Virgin  Mary, 
And  her  blessed  Son,  the  Saviour, 
How  in  distant  lands  and  ages 
He  had  lived  on  earth  as  we  do ; 

13s  How  he  fasted,  prayed,  and  labored; 

How  the  Jews,  the  tribe  accursed. 
Mocked  him,  scourged  him,  crucified  him; 
How  he  rose  from  where  they  laid  him, 
Walked  again  with  his  disciples, 

140  And  ascended  into  heaven. 

And  the  chiefs  made  answer,  saying: 
"We  have  listened  to  your  message. 


THE  SONG   OF   HIAWATHA  231 

We  have  heard  your  words  of  wisdom, 

We  will  think  on  what  you  tell  us. 
^45  It  is  well  for  us,  O  brothers. 

That  you  come  so  far  to  see  us!" 
Then  they  rose  up  and  departed 

Each  one  homeward  to  his  wigwam, 

To  the  young  men  and  the  women 
150  Told  the  story  of  the  strangers 

Whom  the  Master  of  Life  had  sent  them 

From  the  shining  land  of  Wabun. 
Heavy  with  the  heat  and  silence 

Grew  the  afternoon  of  Summer; 
15s  With  a  drowsy  sound  the  forest 

Whispered  round  the  sultry  wigwam, 

With  a  sound  of  sleep  the  water 

Rippled  on  the  beach  below  it; 

From  the  cornfields  shrill  and  ceaseless 
160  Sang  the  grasshopper,  Pah-puk-keena! 

And  the  guests  of  Hiawatha, 

Weary  with  the  heat  of  Summer, 

Slumbered  in  the  sultry  wigwam. 
Slowly  o'er  the  simmering  landscape 
165  Fell  the  evening's  dusk  and  coolness. 

And  the  long  and  level  sunbeams 

Shot  their  spears  into  the  forest, 

Breaking  through  its  shields  of  shadow, 

Rushed  into  each  secret  ambush, 
170  Searched  each  thicket,  dingle,  hollow; 

Still  the  guests  of  Hiawatha 

Slumbered  in  the  silent  wigwam. 
From  his  place  rose  Hiawatha, 

Bade  farewell  to  old  Nokomis, 
175  Spake  in  whispers,  spake  in  this  wise. 

Did  not  wake  the  guests  that  slumbered: 
"I  am  going,  O  Nokomis, 


232-  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

On  a  long  and  distant  journey, 
To  the  portals  of  the  Sunset, 

1 80  To  the  regions  of  the  home-wind. 

Of  the  Northwest  Wind,  Keewaydin. 
But  these  guests  I  leave  behind  me, 
In  your  watch  and  ward  I  leave  them; 
See  that  never  harm  comes  near  them, 

iB5  See  that  never  fear  molests  them, 

Never  danger  nor  suspicion, 
Never  want  of  food  or  shelter. 
In  the  lodge  of  Hiawatha!" 
Forth  into  the  village  went  he, 

190  Bade  farewell  to  all  the  warriors. 

Bade  farewell  to  all  the  young  men. 
Spake  persuading,  spake  in  this  wise: 

"I  am  going,  O  my  people. 
On  a  long  and  distant  journey; 

19s  Many  moons  and  many  winters 

Will  have  come  and  will  have  vanished, 
Ere  I  come  again  to  see  you. 
But  my  guests  I  leave  behind  me; 
Listen  to  their  words  of  wisdom, 

200  Listen  to  the  truth  they  tell  you. 

For  the  Master  of  Life  has  sent  them 
From  the  land  of  light  and  morning!" 

On  the  shore  stood  Hiawatha, 
Turned  and  waved  his  hand  at  parting; 

205  On  the  clear  and  luminous  water 

Launched  his  birch  canoe  for  sailing, 
From  the  pebbles  of  the  margin 
Shoved  it  forth  Into  the  water; 
Whispered  to  it,  "'Westward!  westward!" 

210  And  with  speed  it  darted  forward. 

And  the  evening  sun  descending 
Set  the  clouds  on  fire  with  redness, 


THE  SONG  OF   HIAWATHA  233 

Burned  the  broad  sky,  like  a  prairie, 

Left  upon  the  level  water 
215  One  long  track  and  trail  of  splendor, 

Down  whose  stream  as  down  a  river, 

Westward,  westward  Hiawatha 

Sailed  into  the  fiery  sunset, 

Sailed  into  the  purple  vapors, 
220  Sailed  into  the  dusk  of  evening. 

And  the  people  from  the  margin 

Watched  him  floating,  rising,  sinking, 

Till  the  birch  canoe  seemed  lifted 

High  into  that  sea  of  splendor, 
225  Till  it  sank  into  the  vapors  • 

Like  the  new  moon  slowly,  slowly 

Sinking  in  the  purple  distance. 

And  they  said,  '' Farewell  forever!" 

Said,  "  Farewell,  O  Hiawatha ! " 
2.30  And  the  forests,  dark  and  lonely, 

Moved  through  all  their  depths  of  darkness, 

Sighed,  "Farewell,  O  Hiawatha!" 

And  the  waves  upon  the  margin 

Rising,  rippling  on  the  pebbles, 
2SS  Sobbed,  "Farewell,  O  Hiawatha!" 

And  the  heron,  the  Shuh-shuh-gah, 

From  her  haunts  among  the  fenlands 

Screamed,  "Farewell,  O  Hiawatha!" 
Thus  departed  Hiawatha, 
240  Hiawatha  the  Beloved, 

In  the  glory  of  the  sunset. 

In  the  purple  mists  of  evening. 

To  the  regions  of  the  home-wind. 

Of  the  Northwest  wind  Keewaydin, 
245  To  the  Islands  of  the  Blessed, 

To  the  kingdom  of  Ponemah, 

To  the  land  of  the  Hereafter! 


234 


STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 


VOCABULARY 


Ad  ji  dau'mo,  the  red  squirrel. 

Ah  deck',  the  reindeer. 

Ah  ko  se'win,  fever. 

Ah  meek',  the  King  of  Beavers. 

Ah'mo,  the  bee. 

Al  gon'quin,     Al  gon'kin,      see 

Notes. 
An  nS  me'kee,  the  thunder. 
A  puk'wa,  a  bulrush. 

Ba  im  wa'wa,     the     sound     of 

thunder. 
Be  mah'gilt,  the  grape  vine. 
Be'na,  the  pheasant. 
Bu  ka  da' win,  a  famine. 

Ca  man'ches,  see  Notes. 
Chee  maun',  a  birch  canoe. 
Ch6t  o  waik',  the  plover. 
Chi  bi  a'bos,    (Ki  bi  a'bos,)    a 

musician;  friend  of  Hiawatha; 

ruler  in  the  Land  of  Spirits. 
Ch6c'taws,  see  Notes. 

Da  co'tah,  see  Notes. 
Da  hin'da,  the  bullfrog. 
Dfil'a  wares,  see  Notes. 
Dush  kwo  ne'she  or  Kwo  ne'she, 
the  dragon-fly. 

E'sa,  shame  upon  you. 
Es  CO  na'ba,  see  Notes. 
E  wa  yea,  a  lullaby. 

Ghee'zis,  Gee'zis,  the  sun. 

Git'che  Gu'mee,  the  Big-Sea- 
Water,  Lake  Superior. 

Git'che  Man'i  to,  the  Great 
Spirit;   the  Master  of  Life. 

Gus  ke  wau',  the  darkness. 


Hi  au  ha',  hi  o  ha'. 

Hi  a  wa'tha    (He  a  wa'tha),    the 

prophet;    the  teacher;    son  of 

Mudjekeewis,  the  West- Wind, 

and    Wenonah,    daughter    of 

■  Nokomis. 

Hu'rons,  see  Notes. 

I  a'goo  (E  a'goo),  a  great  boaster 

and  story-teller. 
I  nin'e  wug,  men  or  pawns  in 

the  Game  of  the  Bowl. 
Ish  koo  dah',  fire;  a  comet. 

Jee'bJ,  a  ghost;   a  spirit. 
JSss'a  keed,  a  prophet. 

Ka'be  yun,  the  West-Wind. 

Ka  bi  bo  nok'ka,  the  North- 
Wind. 

Kagh,  the  hedgehog. 

Ka'go,  do  not. 

Kah  gah  gee',  the  raven. 

Kaw,  no. 

Ka  ween',  no  indeed. 

Kay  oshk',  the  sea-gull. 

Kee'go,  a  fish. 

Kee  way 'din,  the  Northwest 
Wind;  the  Home- Wind. 

Kgn  a'beek,  a  serpent. 

Keneu  (k6n  u'),  a  great  war- 
eagle. 

K6n  6'zha,  the  pickerel. 

Ko'ko-ko'ho,  the  owl. 

Kun  tas  soo',  the  Game  of 
Plum-stones. 

Kwa'sind,  the  Strong  Man. 

Kwo-ne'she  or  Dush-kwo-ne'- 
she,  the  dragon-fly. 


VOCABULARY 


235 


Mahn  ah  be'zee,  the  swan. 

Mahng,  the  loon. 

Mahn-go-tay'see,  loon-hearted; 
brave. 

Mah  no  mo'nee,  wild  rice. 

Ma'ma,  the  woodpecker. 

Man'dans,  see  Notes. 

Man'i  to,  Guardian  Spirit. 

Mas  ken  o'zha,  the  pike. 

Me'da,  a  medicine-man. 

Me  da'min,  the  art  of  healing. 

Mee  nah'ga,  the  blueberry. 

Meg  is  sog'won,  the  great  Pearl- 
Feather,  a  magician,  and  the 
Manito  of  Wealth. 

Mesh  i  nau'wa,  a  pipe-bearer. 

Min  je  kah'wun,  Hiawatha's 
mittens. 

Min  ne  wa'wa,  a  pleasant  sound, 
as  of  the  wind  in  the  trees. 

Mish  e  Mo'kwa,  the  Great  Bear. 

Mish  e  Nah'ma,  the  Great  Stur- 
geon, King  of  Fishes. 

Mis  ko  deed',  the  Spring  Beauty; 
the  Claytonia  Virginica. 

Mit  che  Man'i  to,  the  Spirit  of 
Evil. 

Mo'hawks,  see  Notes. 

Mon  da'min,  Indian  com. 

Mud  je  kee'wis,  the  West- Wind, 
father  of  Hiawatha. 

Mud  way-aush'ka,  the  sound  of 
waves  on  a  shore. 

Mush  ko  da'sa,  the  grouse. 

Mus'ko  day,  the  meadow. 

Na'gow  Wudj'o,  the  Sand  Dunes 

of  Lake  Superior. 
Nah'ma,  the  sturgeon. 
Nah  ma-wusk',  the  spearmint. 
Na  wa  da'ha,  the  singer. 
Nee-ba-naw'baigs,  water  spirits. 


Ne  ne  moo'sha,  sweetheart. 

Ne  pah'win,  sleep. 

No  ko'mis,       a      grandmother; 

mother  of  Wenonah. 
No'sa,  my  father. 
Nush'ka,  look!   look! 

O  dah'min,  the  strawberry. 
O  jeeg',  the  Summer-Maker. 
O  jib'ways,  or  Chip'pe  was,  see 

Notes. 
O  ka  hah'wis,    the    fresh-water 

herring. 
O'ma  has,  see  Notes. 
O  me'me,  the  pigeon. 
O  na'gon,  a  bowl. 
On  a  way',  awake. 
O  pe'chee,  the  robin. 
Os  se'o,  Son  of  the  Evening  Star. 
O  wais'  sa,  the  bluebird. 
O  wee  nee',  wife  of  Osseo. 
O  za  wa'beek,  a  round  piece  ot 

brass  or  copper  in  the  Game 

of  the  Bowl. 

Pah-puk-kee'na,  the  grasshopper. 

Pai  mo  said'  (pi  mo  s6d'),  a  thief 
of  cornfields. 

Pau'giik,  Death. 

Pau-puk-kee'wis,  the  handsome 
Yenadizze,  the  Storm  Fool. 

Pau  wa'ting,  Sault  Sainte  Marie. 

Pawnees',  see  Notes. 

Pearl- Feather,  the  magician; 
manito  of  wealth  and  wampum. 

Pe'bo  an,  Winter. 

Pgm'i  can,  meat  of  the  deer  or 
buffalo  dried  and  poimded. 

PSz  he  ke',  the  bison. 

Pish  ne  kuh',  the  brant. 

Po  ne'mah,  the  land  of  the  Here- 
after. 


236 


STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 


Pu  ga  saing',  Game  of  the  Bowl. 
Pug  ga  wau'giin,  a  war  club. 
Puk  wa'na,   the    smoke   of    the 

Peace-Pipe. 
Puk-wudj'  ies,    pygmies;     little 

wild  men  of  the  woods. 

Sah-sah-je'wGn,  rapids. 

Sah'wa,  the  perch. 

S6b  6  wish'a,  the  brook. 

S6g  wtin',  Spring. 

Sha'da,  the  pelican. 

Shah  bo'min,  the  gooseberry. 

Shah-shah,  long  ago. 

Shau  go  da'ya,  a  coward. 

Shaw  ga  shee^  the  craw-fish. 

Sha  won  da'see,  the  South-Wind. 

Shaw-shaw,  the  swallow. 

Shgsh'eb  wiig,  ducks;  pieces  in 
the  Game  of  the  Bowl. 

Shin'ge  bis,  the  diver  or  grebe. 

Sho'shon  igs,  see  Notes. 

Sho  wain'  ne  mee'shln,  pity  me. 

Shuh-shuh'gah,  the  blue  heron. 

Soan  ge  ta'ha,  strong-hearted. 

Sub  be  ka'she,  the  spider. 

Sug  ge'ma  (su  je'ma),  the  mos- 
quito. 

Ta  qua  me'naw,  see  Notes. 
Ta  wa  sSn'tha,  see  Notes. 
Tiis  ca  loo'sa,  see  Notes. 


Ugh,  yes. 

U  gud  wash',  the  sunfish. 

Unk  ta  hee',  the  God  of  Water. 

Wa  bas'so,  the  rabbit;  the  North. 

Wa  be'no,  a  magician ;  a  juggler. 

Wa  be'no-wusk,  yarrow. 

Wa'bun,  the  East- Wind. 

Wa'bun  An'nung,  the  Star  of  the 
East,  the  Morning  Star. 

Wa'ge   min,   the   thief  of   corn- 
fields. 

Waho  no' min,  cry  of  lamentation. 

Wah-wah-tay'see,  the  firefly. 

Wam'pum,  beads  of  shell. 

Wau  be  wy'Sn,    a    white    skin 
wrapper. 

Wa'wa,  the  wild  goose. 

Waw'beek,  a  rock. 

Waw-be-wa'wa,  the  white  goose. 

Wa  won  ais'  sa,  the  whippoor- 
will. 

Way-muk-kwa'na,  the  cater- 
pillar. 

Way  was'si  mo,  the  lightning. 

WSn'di  goes,  the  giants. 

WS  no'nah,  Hiawatha's  mother, 
daughter  of  Nokomis. 

Wy  o'ming,  see  Notes. 

Y6n  a  diz'ze,  an  idler  and  gam- 
bler;  an  Indian  dandy. 


NOTES  ,  ; 

Introduction 

"The  Song  of  Hiawatha"  is  founded  on  a  tradition  prevalent  among 
the  North  American  Indians,  of  a  person  of  miraculous  birth,  who  was 
sent  among  them  to  clear  their  rivers,  forests,  and  fishing  grounds,  and 
to  teach  them  the  arts  of  peace.  He  was  known  among  the  different 
tribes  by  several  names,  one  of  them  being  that  chosen  by  Longfellow  — 
Hiawatha. 

The  scene  of  the  poem  is  among  the  Ojibways  on  the  southern  shores 
of  Lake  Superior,  in  the  region  between  the  Pictured  Rocks  and  the 
Grand  Sable. 

The  Pictured  Rocks  are  a  series  of  sandstone  cliffs,  varying  in  height 
from  fifty  feet  to  nearly  three  hundred,  extending  along  the  shore  of  Lake 
Superior,  in  Alger  County,  Michigan,  about  forty-five  miles  east  of 
Marquette.  They  are  worn  into  singular  forms  by  the  action  of  wind 
and  water. 

The  Grand  Sable  is  the  name  of  the  great  sand  dimes  of  Lake  Su- 
perior. They  have  a  long  reach  of  coast,  resembling  a  vast  sand-bank, 
more  than  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  height,  without  a  trace  of 
vegetation.  At  the  top,  there  are  rounded  hillocks  of  blown  sand,  with 
occasional  clumps  of  trees,  standing  out  like  oases  in  a  desert. 

8  Reverberations.  Reverberation  is  the  returning  or  casting  back  of 
a  sound. 

13  Ojibways.  (Or  Chippewas.)  A  large  tribe  of  North  American 
Indians,  who  formerly  occupied  the  territory  along  the  north  and  south 
shores  of  Lakes  Huron  and  Superior,  extending  west  across  Northern 
Minnesota  to  the  Turtle  Mountains  of  North  Dakota. 

14  Dacotahs.  (Or  Sioux.)  A  division  of  the  Siouan  stock  of  North 
American  Indians,  composed  of  the  Dacotah  proper  and  the  Assiniboin. 
They  occupied  what  is  now  Montana  and  the  neighboring  part  of 
British  Northwest  Territory;  also  North  and  South  Dakota  and  Minne- 
sota. 

28  Eyry  (Aery.)  The  nest  of  a  bird  of  prey,  as  an  eagle,  a  hawk, 
etc. 

41  Vale  of  Tawasentha.  This  valley,  now  called  Norman's  Kill,  is 
in  Albany  County,  New  York. 

73  Palisades  Fences  made  of  strong  palings  or  stakes  set  firmly  in 
the  g^round^  forming  an  enclosure;  used  as  a  defense. 

237 


238  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

The  Peace-Pipe 

1  Mountains  of  the  Prairie.  Coteau  des  prairie  (ko'  to  da  pra'  ri). 
An  elevated  region  or  swell  in  the  prairies  of  North  and  South  Dakota, 
separating  the  basin  of  the  Mississippi  River  from  that  of  the  Missouri. 
At  the  head  of  the  Blue  Earth  River  it  gradually  falls  to  the  level  of  the 
surrounding  country. 

2  Red  Pipe-Stone  Quarry.  A  quarry  in  Pipestone  County  in  south- 
western Minnesota.  In  this  quarry  is  found  the  red  clay-stone,  used 
by  North  American  Indians  for  making  pipes,  and  called  catlinite,  for 
George  Catlin,  the  American  traveler.  "Here  happened  the  mysterious 
birth  of  the  red  pipe,  which  has  blown  its  fumes  of  peace  and  war  to  the 
remotest  corners  of  the  continent;  which  has  visited  every  warrior,  and 
passed  through  its  reddened  stem  the  irrevocable  oath  of  war  and 
desolation.  And  here  also  the  peace-breathing  calumet  was  bom, 
and  fringed  with  the  eagle's  quills,  which  has  shed  its  thrilling  fumes  over 
the  land,  and  soothed  the  fury  of  the  relentless  savage.  The  Great 
Spirit  at  an  ancient  period  here  called  the  Indian  nations  together,  and 
standing  on  the  precipice  of  the  red  pipe-stone  rock,  broke  from  its  wall 
a  piece  and  made  a  huge  pipe  by  turning  it  in  his  hand,  which  he  smoked 
over  them,  and  to  the  North,  the  South,  the  East,  and  the  West,  and 
told  them  that  this  stone  was  red  —  that  it  was  their  flesh  —  that  they 
must  use  it  for  their  pipes  of  peace  —  that  it  belonged  to  them  all  and 
that  the  war-club  and  scalping-knife  must  not  be  raised  on  its  ground." 

3  Gitche  Manito.  The  Great  Spirit.  The  Indians,  learning  of 
God  from  the  Jesuit  missionaries,  associated  Him  with  Gitche  Manito. 
The  early  missionaries  could  not  find  a  word  in  any  Indian  language  to 
express  the  idea  of  God. 

23  Bark  of  willow.  This  was  sometimes  used  alone  for  smoking, 
and  sometimes  mixed  with  the  tobacco.  The  Indians  thought  the  flavor 
of  the  tobacco  was  improved  by  such  mixing. 
.  30  Calumet.  A  large  pipe,  called  also  by  the  whites  the  pipe  of 
peace,  because  it  was  always  smoked  when  making  treaties  or  entertain- 
ing strangers.  The  meaning  was  the  same  in  all  cases:  an  exchange 
and  pledge  of  faith  between  the  parties  who  joined  in  the  smoking. 
In  all  parts  of  the  country  the  calumet  was  much  larger  and  handsomer 
than  the  ordinary  pipe. 

43  Valley  of  Wyoming.  In  northern  Pennsylvania.  It  was  the 
scene  of  a  terrible  massacre  in  1778. 

44  Groves  of  Tuscaloosa.  A  part  of  Alabama,  named  from  an  Indian 
chief  who  was  defeated  by  De  Soto,  in  1540. 

60-65  These  are  representative  tribes  of  North  American  Indians. 
The  Delawares  occupied  the  valley  of  the  Delaware  River  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  the  greater  part  of  New  Jersey  and  Delaware.  They  were 
classed  as  a  tribe,  but  were  in  many  respects  a  confederacy.    The  Mo-i 


NOTES  239 

hawks  had  their  village  along  the  valley  of  the  Mohawk  River  in  New 
York,  but  they  claimed  the  territory  north  to  the  St.  Lawrence  River 
and  south  to  the  Delaware  River  watershed  and  the  Catskill  Mountains. 
The  Choctaws  occupied  the  country  now  forming  the  western  part  of 
Alabama  and  the  southern  part  of  Mississippi.  About  1800  they  began 
to  emigrate  beyond  the  Mississippi.  The  Camanches  (or  Comanches) 
were  formerly  neighbors  of  the  Shoshoni,  in  Western  Wyoming.  The 
Shoshonies  were  the  most  northerly  division  of  the  Shoshonean  stock  of 
North  American  Indians,  and  had  their  chief  seat  in  the  Snake  River 
Region  of  Idaho.  The  Blackjeet  belonged  to  the  Algonquin  division  of 
North  American  Indians.  The  Pawnees  were  formerly  in  Nebraska 
and  Kansas.  The  Omaha,  belonged  to  the  Dhegiha,  a  division  of  the 
Siouan  stock  of  North  American  Indians.  They  are  now  in  Eastern 
Nebraska.  The  Mandans  were  also  one  of  the  Siouan  divisions.  The 
Hurons  (or  Wyandots)  when  first  known,  occupied  a  narrow  territory 
between  Georgian  Bay  and  Lake  Simcoe  in  Ontario.  They  afterward 
spread  along  the  south  and  west  shores  of  Lake  Erie.  They  were 
named  "Huron"  by  the  French.  For  Objibways  and  Dacotahs,  see 
Notes  13  and  14,  page  237. 

92     Abysses.     Bottomless  pits;   deep,  immeasurable  spaces. 

103-  Brant.  The  brent-goose,  a  small  goose  inhabiting  most  of  the 
northern  hemisphere. 

The  Four  Winds 

4  Wampum.  Shells  and  shell  beads,  used  as  money  and  worn  for 
ornaments  in  strings  and  belts  by  the  North  American  Indians. 

140  Loon.     A  diving  bird,  known  as  the  great  northern  diver. 

141  Cormorant  and  heron.  The  cormorant  is  a  diving  bird,  which 
feeds  greedily  upon  fish.     The  heron  is  a  wading  bird. 

142  Sedge  and  sea-tang.  Sedge  is  coarse  grass  growing  in  swamps. 
Sea -tang  (tangle)  is  a  kind  of  sea -weed. 

243  Moon  when  nights  are  brightest.     April. 

244  Moon  of  Snowshoes.-   November. 

Hiawatha's  Childhood 

65    Big-Sea-Water.     Lake  Superior. 

76  Linden  cradle.  The  Indian  cradle  was  regarded  with  great  pride 
by  the  Indian  mother.  The  frame  consisted  of  three  pieces  —  the 
board  which  supported  the  back,  the  hoop  or  foot-board,  which  extended 
tapering  up  each  side,  and  the  arch  or  bow,  which  sprung  from  each 
side  and  protected  the  face  and  head.  These  were  tied  together  with 
deer  sinews.  The  whole  structure  was  very  light,  and  was  carved  by 
the  men  with  a  knife  out  of  the  linden  or  maple  tree. 


240  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

80     The  Naked  Bear.     The  ''Great  Bear  of  the  Mountains,"  the 
bugbear  among  the  Indians. 
90    Death-Dance  0}  the  Spirits.    The  Northern  Lights. 
94    Broad,  white  read.     The  Milky  Way. 
205     Flecked.     Spotted  or  streaked. 

Hiawatha  and  Mudjekeewis 

47    Jasper.     A    variety    of    quartz    having    many   shades.-   When 
polished  it  is  made  into  ornamental  articles. 
70    Esconaha.     A  river  in  northern  Michigan. 
104    Prowess.     Bravery. 

106  Indomitable,    Untamable. 

107  Invulnerable.  Without  any  weak  point;  cannot  be  wounded  or 
injured. 

124    Benignant.     Kind  and  gracious;   favorable. 

209  Flamingo.  A  long-legged,  web-footed  bird  of  brilliant  red  color. 
.  257  Falls  of  Minnehaha.  These  falls  are  in  the  Minnehaha  River, 
a  small  stream  running  into  the  Mississpipi  between  Fort  Snelling 
and  the  Falls  of  St.  Anthony.  Minnehaha  is  the  Sioux  for  Laughing 
Water,  and  in  giving  this  name  to  Hiawatha's  wife,  Longfellow  chose 
for  her  a  Sioux  name,  while  Hiawatha  is  an  Iroquois  name,  and  the 
poem  itself  is  based  on  legends  of  the  Ojibway. 

262  Chalcedony.  A  variety  of  quartz,  resembling  in  color  milk 
diluted  with  water. 

Hiawatha's  Fasting 

2  Prayed  and  fasted.  When  the  Indian  youth  reached  the  proper 
age  he  was  taken  to  the  woods  and  shut  up,  day  and  night,  for  some 
weeks,  in  a  sort  of  pen  made  for  this  purpose.  All  this  time  neither  food 
nor  drink  was  given  him.  This  treatment  was  supposed  to  make  the 
young  warrior  forget  the  follies  of  his  childhood,  and  to  fit  him  for  taking 
an  active  and  dignified  part  in  his  tribe. 

13    Moon  0}  Leaves.    May. 

Hiawatha's  Sailing 
27    Girdled.     Cut  a  complete  circle  round  the  tree. 
75    Fissure.    A  crack. 

Hiawatha's  Fishing 

94    Eddies.     Small  whirlpools. 

121  Swallowed.  Compare  this  with  the  Bible  story  of  Jonah  and 
the  whale  given  in  the  Book  of  Jonah;  also  the  Norse  ^tory  of  Thor's 
fishing. 


NOTES  241 

209    Craws.     The  craw  is  the  crop,  or  stomach,  of  a  bird. 
215     Pallid.     Pale. 

Hiawatha  and  the  Pearl-Feather 
13    Ambush.     Lying  in  wait  to  attack  by  surprise. 
37    Pestilential   vapors.     Hurtful   and   deadly   mists    that   brought 
disease. 

67    Hurtled.     Moved  with  force  and  violence. 

106  Flags.  Plants  growing  mostly  in  moist  places;  particularly 
the  common  species  of  Iris. 

107  Stagnant.     Water  not  flowing  or  running  in  a  stream. 

no  Fires  by  ghosts,  etc.  After  the  burial  of  a  body,  the  Indians 
lighted  a  fire  on  the  grave  for  four  nights.  That  was  the  time  required 
for  the  journey  to  Spirit-land.  If  friends  did  not  light  the  fire  the  Spirit 
was  obliged  to  gather  the  fuel  and  make  the  fire,  thus  delaying  the 
journey. 

165     Crested.     Having  the  head  adorned  with  plumes  or  feathers. 
169    Derision.     Scorn;  contempt. 

204  Dead-man's  Moccasin-leather.  A  plant  of  fungus  growth,  like 
the  mushroom  or  toadstool. 

205  Fungus.  Plants  not  having  any  chlorophyl,  or  green  coloring, 
and  without  flowers. 

251     Trophy.     Something  to  be  kept  in  memory  of  a  victory. 

Hiawatha's  Wooing 
21     Dissuading.     Advising  against. 
60    Interminable.     Without  limit;  endless. 

90    Plaiting  mats.     The  mats  were  woven  from  grasses  and  rushes 
and  then  dyed  with  bright  colors,  the  Indians  making  their  own  dyes. 
153    Bass-wood.     Wood  from  the  American  lime,  or  linden,  tree. 
272     Imperious.     Lordly;  domineering. 

Hiawatha's  Wedding-Feast 

I  Pau-Puk-Keewis.  This  is  the  Indian  idea  of  a  wild  and  reckless 
character. 

13    Sumptuous.    Expensive;  costly. 

31  Pemican.  A  preparation  made  of  the  lean  parts  of  venison 
dried  by  the  sun  or  wind,  pounded  into  a  paste,  with  melted  fat,  and 
tighdy  pressed  into  cakes.  It  is  now  made  of  beef,  for  special  use  in 
Arctic  expeditions.  In  this  form  it  is  easily  preserved  and  keeps  for 
a  long  time. 


343  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

65  Bowl  and  Counters.  This  was  the  principal  game  of  hazard 
among  the  northern  tribes.  It  was  played  with  thirteen  pieces  shook 
together  in  a  wooden  bowl. 

160    Moon  of  Strawberries.     June. 

240    Evening  Star.    Venus. 

The  Son  of  the  Evening  Star 

3  Red  Swan.  There  is  an  Indian  legend  of  three  brothers  who 
agreed  one  day  that  each  was  to  go  out  and  kill  the  animal  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  hunting.  The  youngest,  Ojibwa,  had  killed  a  bear,  and  as  he 
was  beginning  to  skin  it,  the  air  around  was  suddenly  filled  with  a  red 
light.  On  following  the  strange  noises  which  he  heard,  he  saw  a  beauti- 
ful red  swan  in  a  lake.  After  shooting  all  his  arrows  at  it  in  vain,  he 
went  home  and  got  three  magic  arrows  left  by  his  father.  With  the  last 
one  he  wounded  the  bird,  and  it  flew  away.  He  followed  it,  meeting 
with  many  adventures  on  the  way,  and  found  the  Red  Swan  to  be  the 
beautiful  daughter  of  a  magician.  He  at  last  won  her  for  his  bride  by 
recovering  her  father's  cap  of  wampum  from  his  enemies. 

44    Flouted.     Insulted;   treated  them  with  scorn. 

289  Island.  The  Island  of  Michilimackinac,  or  Mackinac,  in  the 
Straits  of  Mackinac. 

298    Shards.    Wing-covers  of  beetles. 

307    Pygmies.    A  fabled  race  of  dwarfs. 

339  Algonquin.  The  Algonquins  were  a  group  of  tribes  of  North 
American  Indians  of  the  valleys  of  the  Ottawa  River  and  of  the  northern 
tributaries  of  the  St.  Lawrence  River. 

Blessing  the  Cornfields 

25  'Twas  the  women.  The  corn-planting  and  corn-gathering  were 
left  entirely  to  women  and  children  and  a  few  very  old  men.  The 
women  were  not  compelled  to  do  this,  but  they  considered  it  only  just, 
as  the  men  labored  to  provide  meat  and  the  skins  for  clothing,  and  de- 
fended them  against  their  enemies.  A  good  Indian  housewife  prided 
herself  on  always  having  plenty  of  corn  with  which  to  provide  the  lodge 
guests. 

69    Marauders.    Rovers  who  went  about  searching  for  plunder. 
128    Devastation.     Waste;  destruction. 
146    Consecrated.     Set  apart;  made  sacred. 

152    Hostage.     A  pledge;    a  person  who  remains  in  the  hands  of 
another  as  a  pledge  for  the  fulfillment  of  certain  conditions. 
168    Pinions.     Wings. 
180     Verdure.     Greenness;   the  fresh  green  of  vegetation. 


NOTES  243 

183    Moon  when  leaves  are  falling.     September. 
202     Gamesome.     Merry;   full  of  sport. 

Picture-Writing 

23     Totem.     The  Indian  coat-of-arms.     It  consisted  of  some  natural 
object,  usually  an  animal,  and  became  the  emblem  of  a  clan  or  family. 
2^    Pervert.     To  turn  aside  from  the  true  end  or  proper  purpose. 
135     Interpretation.     Explanation. 

Hiawatha's  Lamentation 

91  Sacred  Lodge.  The  wigwam  where  the  medicine  man  shut  him- 
self up  to  consult  the  spirits  upon  the  cause  and  cure  of  disease. 

92  Appease.     To  quiet  or  pacify;  to  satisfy. 

96    Simples.     Roots  and  herbs  used  for  medicines. 
108    Spearmint.     The  common  garden  mint. 
160    Invocation.     The  act  of  praying;  appealing  for  help. 
212     Antidotes.     Medicines  which  counteract  the  effects  of  poison 
or  attacks  of  disease. 

Pau-Puk-Keewis 

7  Transmigration.  The  passing  of  the  soul  after  death  from  one 
body  into  that  of  another. 

28  Ojeeg.  A  group  of  stars  in  the  northern  hemisphere  was  called 
by  the  Ojibway  Indians,  Ojeeg  Annung,  or  the  Fisher  Stars. 

2,2,    Essayed.     Tried;    attempted. 

34  Badger.  An  animal  belonging  to  the  bear  family  of  about  the 
same  size  as  the  fox.  In  color  it  is  grayish  brown  above  and  black 
beneath,  the  head  being  white,  with  a  black  band  on  each  side.  It  feeds 
upon  fruit,  roots,  eggs,  young  birds,  and  small  animals. 

40  Wolverine.  (Or  glutton.)  This  animal  is  also  referred  to  the 
bear  family.  It  is  about  2  feet  6  inches  long  from  the  tip  of  the  nose  to 
the  root  of  the  tail,  the  tail  being  about  7  or  8  inches  long.  Both  tail 
and  body  are  covered  with  long  hair,  underneath  which  is  a  rich  thick 
fur  of  a  chestnut  brown.  This  fur  is  sometimes  of  considerable  value, 
but  varies  in  glossiness  and  other  qualities.  The  wolverine's  food 
consists  of  the  smaller  animals,  and  it  devours  young  foxes  in  great 
numbers. 

68     Vermilion.     A  brilliant  red  coloring. 

The  Hunting  of  Pau-Puk-Keewis 
24     Whortleberry.     A  blackish  berry,  growing  on  a  low  bush. 
337    Gambols.     Frolics;   skipping  about  joyfully. 


244  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

The  Death  of  Kwasind 

5  Puk-Wudjies.  The  Indian  legends  tell  of  hosts  of  little  men 
called  Ininees,  or  Puk-wudj  Ininees,  who  inhabited  the  cliffs  and  pic- 
turesque romantic  scenes. 

20  Ne-ba-naw-baigs.  These  were  the  marine  or  water  spirits  which 
occupied  the  rivers  and  lakes. 

26    Audacious.     Bold;   impudent. 

29  Crown  alone.  Compare  this  with  the  Bible  story  of  Samson, 
whose  strength  was  in  his  hair. 

30  Crown  too.  Compare  this  with  the  Greek  story  of  Achilles,  in 
whose  heel  was  the  only  spot  in  which  he  would  be  wounded. 

34  Only  weapon.  Compare  this  with  the  Norse  story  of  Baldur, 
who  could  only  be  harmed  by  the  mistletoe. 

The  Ghosts 

2  Quarry.  Any  creature  hunted  by  man  or  by  beasts  or  birds  of 
prey,  especially  after  it  has  been  killed. 

8    Ether.     The  blue,  upper  air;   the  heavens. 

55  Uninvited.  Among  the  Indians  the  duties  of  hospitality  were 
held  so  sacred,  that  anyone  might  walk  into  the  wigwam  and  obtain 
food  and  rest. 

The  Famine 

^^    Did  not  parley.     Did  not  speak. 

119    Snow-encumbered.     Burdened  with  snow. 

The  White  Man's  Foot 

186  /  have  seen  it.  Hiawatha,  by  the  gift  of  prophecy,  foretells  the 
coming  of  the  white  man. 

202  White-man^ s  Foot.  The  common  plantain.  It  was  so  called 
by  the  Indians  because  it  advanced  into  the  wilderness  with  the 
white  settlers. 

229     Cloud-rack.     A  mass  of  irregular,  drifting  clouds;  cloud-drift. 

Hiawatha's  Departure 

30  Toward  the  sun.  In  this  manner  Father  Marquette  was  received 
by  the  Illinois. 

59  Black- Robe  chief.  The  Indian  name  for  a  Jesuit  missionary, 
suggested  by  his  dress. 

130    purport.     Meaning. 


THE    CHARGE    OF    THE    LIGHT    BRIGADE 

ALFRED   TENNYSON 

Alfred,  Lord  Tennyson  was  bom  in  Lincolnshire,  England,  August 
6,  1809.  In  1828,  he  entered  Trinity  College,  Cambridge,  where  he 
won  a  gold  medal  for  his  poem,  "Timbuctoo."  After  leaving  college, 
he  lived  quietly  at  home  with  his  family,  reading  much,  giving  all  his 
time  to  his  art.  His  poetry  is  noted  for  its  beauty  and  strength.  Some 
of  his  greatest  works  are  "The  Princess,"  "In  Memoriam,"  "Idylls  of 
the  King,"  and  "Enoch  Arden."  On  the  death  of  Wordsworth,  in  1850, 
Tennyson  was  made  Poet  Laureate  of  England.  He  died  October  6, 
1892. 

"The  Charge  of  the  Light  Brigade"  was  written  in  1854  to  com- 
memorate the  charge  made  by  the  Light  Brigade  on  a  Russian  battery 
at  Balaklava,  during  the  Crimean  War.  The  Light  Brigade  consisted 
of  about  six  hundred  seventy  EngUsh  soldiers,  under  Lord  Cardigan, 
and  they  were  ordered  to  make  the  attack  against  an  overwhelming 
number  of  Russians. 

Half  a  league,  half  a  league, 

Half  a  league  onward, 
All  in  the  valley  of  Death 

Rode  the  six  hundred. 
*' Forward,  the  Light  Brigade! 

Charge  for  the  guns!"  he  said: 
Into  the  valley  of  Death 

Rode  the  six  hundred. 

"Forward,  the  Light  Brigade!" 
Was  there  a  man  dismayed  ? 
Not  though  the  soldiers  knew 
Some  one  had   blundered; 
Theirs  not  to  make  reply, 
Theirs  not  to  reason  why, 

245 


246  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

IS  Theirs  but  to  do  and  die; 

Into  the  valley  of  Death 
Rode  the  six  hundred. 

Cannon  to  right  of  them, 
Cannon  to  left  of  them, 
20.  Cannon  in  front  of  them 

Volleyed  and  thundered; 
Stormed  at  with  shot  and  shell, 
Boldly  they  rode  and  well, 
Into  the  jaws  of  Death, 
25  Into  the  mouth  of  Hell 

Rode  the  six  hundred. 

Flashed  all  their  sabres  bare. 
Flashed  as  they  turned  in  air, 
Sabring  the  gunners  there, 
30  Charging  an  army,  while 

All  the  world  wonder'd: 
Plunged  in  the  battery-smoke 
Right  through  the  line  they  broke; 
Cossack  and  Russian 
35  Reeled  from  the  sabre-stroke 

Shattered  and  sundered. 
Then  they  rode  back,  but  not  — 
Not  the  six  hundred. 

Cannon  to  right  of  them, 
40  Cannon  to  left  of  them, 

Cannon  behind  them 
Volleyed  and  thundered; 

Stormed  at  with  shot  and  shell. 

While  horse  and  hero  fell, 
'^S  They  that  had  fought  so  well 

Came  through  the  jaws  of  Death 


CHARGE   OF   THE   LIGHT  BRIGADE  247 

Back  from  the  mouth  of  Hell, 
All  that  was  left  of  them  — 
Left  of  six  hundred. 

When  can  their  glory  fade? 
Oh,  the  wild  charge  they  made ! 

All  the  world  wondered. 
Honor  the  charge  they  made! 
Honor  the  Light  Brigade, 

Noble  six  hundred! 


NOTES 

I  League.  The  English  land  league  is  equal  to  three  English  statute 
miles.     It  is  a  measure  not  now  in  legal  use. 

5  Brigade.  A  body  of  troops  consisting  of  several  regiments  under 
the  command  of  a  brigadier-general. 

21     Volleyed.     Sounded  all  together. 

27  Sabres.  A  sabre  is  a  cavalry  sword  with  a  broad,  heavy  blade, 
usually  somewhat  curved  and  thick  at  the  back. 

32  Battery-smoke.  A  battery  is  a  place  where  cannon  are  mounted 
for  defense;  where  artillery,  guns,  gunners,  horses  and  all  equipments 
are  in  readiness  for  defence. 

34  Cossack.  The  Cossacks  are  wild  military  tribes  that  guard  the 
south  and  east  borders  of  Russia.  They  are  skilled  horsemen,  and 
make  brave  cavalry  troops. 


THE   BLUE  AND  THE   GRAY 
FRANCIS   MILES  FINCH 

Francis  Miles  Finch  was  bom  at  Ithaca,  N.  Y.,  in  1827.  At  Yale 
he  was  the  Class  Poet,  graduating  from  that  college  in  1849.  He 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  law,  and  was  afterwards  elected  a  judge. 
In  1892,  he  became  dean  of  the  law  school  of  Cornell  University. 

"The  Blue  and  the  Gray,"  which  has  become  a  national  classic,  was 
first  published  in  1867.  On  Memorial  Day  of  that  year,  at  Columbus, 
Miss.,  flowers  were  placed  upon  the  graves  of  Northern  and  Southern 
soldiers  ahke. 


By  the  flow  of  the  inland  river, 

Whence  the  fleets  of  iron  have  fled. 
Where  the  blades  of  the  grave-grass  quiver, 
Asleep  are  the  ranks  of  the  dead  : 
5  Under  the  sod  and  the  dew, 

Waiting  the  judgment-day; 
Under  the  one,  the  Blue, 
Under  the  other,  the  Gray. 

These  in  the  robings  of  glory, 
10  Those  in  the  gloom  of  defeat, 

All  with  the  battle-blood  gory, 
In  the  dusk  of  eternity  meet : 
Under  the  sod  and  the  dew, 
Waiting  the  judgment-day; 
15  Under  the  laurel,  the  Blue, 

Under  the  willow,  the  Gray. 
.348 


THE  BLUE   AND   THE   GRAY  249 

From  the  silence  of  sorrowful  hours 

The  desolate  mourners  go, 
Lovingly  laden  with  flowers 
20  Alike  for  the  friend  and  the  foe; 

Under  the  sod  and  the  dew, 

Waiting  the  judgment -day: 
Under  the  roses,  the  Blue, 
Under  the  lilies,  the  Gray. 

25  So  with  an  equal  splendor 

The  morning  sun- rays  fall. 
With  a  touch  impartially  tender, 
On  the  blossoms  blooming  for  all: 
Under  the  sod  and  the  dew; 
30  Waiting  the  judgment-day; 

Broidered  with  gold,  the  Blue, 
Mellowed  with  gold,  the  Gray. 

So,  when  the  summer  calleth, 
On  forest  and  field  of  grain, 
35  With  an  equal  murmur  falleth 

The  cooling  drip  of  the  rain : 
Under  the  sod  and  the  dew, 

Waiting  the  judgment -day; 
Wet  with  the  rain,  the  Blue 
40  Wet  with  the  rain,  the  Gray. 

Sadly,  but  not  with  upbraiding, 
The  generous  deed  was  done, 
In  the  storm  of  the  years  that  are  fading, 
No  braver  battle  was  won : 
45  Under  the  sod  and  the  dew. 

Waiting  the  judgment  day; 
Under  the  blossoms,  the  Blue, 
Under  the  garlands,  the  Gray. 


250  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

No  more  shall  the  war  cry  sever, 
50  Or  the  winding  rivers  be  red; 

They  banish  our  anger  forever 

When  they  laurel  the  graves  of  our  dead! 
Under  the  sod  and  the  dew, 
Waiting  the  judgment-day; 
Love  and  tears  for  the  Blue, 
Tears  and  love  for  the  Gray. 


NOTES 

7  Blue.     The  color  of  the  uniform  worn  by  the  Union  soldiers  in 
the  Civil  War. 

8  Gray.    The  color  of  the  uniform  worn  by  the  Confederate  soldiers. 

15  Laurel.     Sign  of  victory. 

16  Willow.     Sign  of  sorrow  and  mourning. 
41     Upbraiding.     Reproof  or  reproach. 


THE   DEATH    OF   THE   FLOWERS 

WILLIAM  CULLEN   BRYANT 

Bryant  is  distinctly  an  American  poet.  Almost  all  his  poetry  is 
inspired  by  some  aspect  of  the  natural  scenes  among  which  he  was 
reared.  He  was  bom  in  Cummington,  Mass.,  November  3,  1794. 
After  leaving  Williams  College,  he  studied  law,  but  was  never  fond  of 
the  profession,  preferring  to  devote  himself  to  literature.  When  only 
nineteen,  he  wrote  "Thanatopsis,"  but  was  too  modest  to  submit  it 
for  publication.  It  was,  however,  published  in  181 7.  Although  en- 
gaged in  editorial  work,  Bryant  continued  to  write  poetry  at  intervals 
throughout  his  life,  and  also  published  translations  of  the  "Iliad"  and 
"Odyssey."     He  died  June  12,  1878. 

The  melancholy  days  are  come,  the  saddest  of  the  year, 
Of  wailing  winds,  and  naked  woods,  and  meadows  brown  and 

sere. 
Heaped  in  the  hollows  of  the  grove,  the  autumn  leaves  lie 

dead; 
They  rustle  to  the  eddying  gust,  and  to  the  rabbit's  tread ; 
5  The  robin  and  the  wren  are  flown,  and  from  the  shrubs  the 

jay, 

And  from  the  wood -top  calls  the  crow  through  all  the  gloomy 
day. 

Where  are  the  flowers,  the  fair  young  flowers,  that  lately  sprang 

and  stood 
In  brighter  light  and  softer  airs,  a  beauteous  sisterhood  ? 
Alas!  they  all  are  in  their  graves,  the  gentle  race  of  flowers 
10  Are  lying  in  their  lowly  beds,  with  the  fair  and  good  of  ours. 
The  rain  is  falling  where  they  lie,  but  the  cold  November 

rain 
Calls  not  from  out  the  gloomy  earth  the  lovely  ones  again. 

251 


252  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

The  wind-flower  and  the  violet,  they  perished  long  ago, 
And  the  brier- rose  and  the  orchis  died  amid  the  summer 

glow; 
IS  But  on  the  hills  the  golden-rod,  and  the  aster  in  the  wood, 
And  the  yellow  sun-flower  by  the  brook  in  autumn  beauty 

stood. 
Till  fell  the  frost  from  the  clear  cold  heaven,  as  falls  the  plague 

on  men, 
And  the  brightness  of  their  smile  was  gone,  from  upland, 

glade,  and  glen. 

And  now,  when  comes  the  calm  mild  day,  as  still  such  days  will 

come, 
20  To  call  the  squirrel  and  the  bee  from  out  their  winter  home; 
When  the  sound  of  dropping  nuts  is  heard,  though  all  the  trees 

are  still. 
And  twinkle  in  the  smoky  light  the  waters  of  the  rill, 
The  south  wind  searches  for  the  flowers  whose  fragrance  late 

he  bore. 
And  sighs  to  find  them  in  the  wood  and  by  the  stream  no  more. 

25  And  then  I  think  of  one  who  in  her  youthful  beauty  died, 

The  fair  meek  blossom  that  grew  up  and  faded  by  my  side. 

In  the  cold  moist  earth  we  laid  her,  when  the  forests  cast  the 
leaf, 

And  we  wept  that  one  so  lovely  should  have  a  life  so  brief; 

Yet  not  unmeet  it  was  that  one,  like  that  young  friend  of  ours, 
30  So  gentle  and  so  beautiful,  should  perish  with  the  flowers. 


NOTES 

2  Sere.     Dry  and  parched. 

4  Eddying.    Whirling. 

5  Wren.     A  small  bird. 

6  Crow.     These  birds  live  all  winter  in  northern  latitudes. 

13  Wind-flower.     The  anemone. 

14  Brier-rose.     The  sweet-brier,  or  common  wild-rose. 

14  Orchis.  The  Latin  and  Greek  form  of  orchid.  Several 
varieties  grow  in  New  England,  of  which  the  lady's  slipper  is  perhaps 
the  best  known. 

18     Upland.     High  land,  as  the  name  implies. 

18    Glade.     A  grassy  clearing  in  a  forest. 

18    Glen.     A  narrow  valley  between  the  hills. 

22  Smoky.  The  peculiar,  hazy  appearance  of  the  atmosphere 
in  autumn. 

25  Of  one.  Bryant's  sister,  who  died  when  she  was  a  young 
woman.     She  was  the  poet's  constant  companion  in  his  youth. 

27     Cast.     To  shed  or  throw  off. 

29     Unmeet.    Unfitting. 


253 


AMERICA 

SAMUEL  F.   SMITH 

Samuel  Francis  Smith,  a  Baptist  clergyman  and  author,  was  bom  at 
Boston,  Mass.,  October  21,  1808.  After  graduating  from  Harvard 
College,  he  studied  for  the  ministry  at  the  Andover  Theological  Semi- 
nary. While  a  student  there  he  wrote  "America,"  and  it  was  first  sung 
at  a  children's  Fourth  of  July  celebration  in  the  Park  Street  Church, 
Boston.     He  died  at  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  in  1895. 

My  country,  'tis  of  thee, 
Sweet  land  of  liberty, 

Of  thee  I  sing; 
Land  where  my  fathers  died, 
5  Land  of  the  pilgrim's  pride, 

From  every  mountain-side 

Let  freedom  ring. 

My  native  country,  thee. 
Land  of  the  noble  free, 
10  Thy  name  I  love; 

I  love  thy  rocks  and  rills. 
Thy  woods  and  templed  hills; 
My  heart  with  rapture  thrills 
Like  that   above. 

15  Let  music  swell  the  breeze, 

And  ring  from  all  the  trees 
Sweet  Freedom's  song; 
Let  mortal  tongues  awake 
Let  all  that  breathe  partake, 
20  Let  rocks  their  silence  break. 

The  sound  prolong. 
254 


AMERICA  255 


Our  Fathers'  God,  to  Thee, 
Author  of  liberty, 

To  Thee  we  sing; 
25  Long  may  our  land  be  bright 

With  Freedom's  holy  light; 
Protect  us  by  Thy  might, 

Great  God,  our  King. 


NOTES 

The  tune  of  "America"  was  found  by  Dr.  Smith  while  examining 
some  singing  books  used  in  German  schools.  Following  is  his  own 
account  of  the  writing  of  the  poem: 

"In  looking  through  the  books  I  came  to  the  tune  to  which  'America* 
is  written.  I  spelled  out  the  notes  and  found  the  tune  bright  and  stirring. 
I  looked  down  at  the  words  at  the  bottom  of  the  page  and  found  them 
to  be  a  patriotic  hymn.  *Ah,'  I  thought,  'patriotic,  that  is  just  the  tune 
for  a  patriotic  hymn.  America  shall  have  one  of  her  own.'  I  reached 
for  a  scrap  of  waste  paper,  and  in  less  than  an  hour  'America'  was  writ- 
ten, very  nearly  as  you  see  it  to-day." 

The  noted  writer  and  clergyman,  Henry  Van  Dyke,  has  suggested 
adding  to  "America"  the  following  stanzas: 

I  love  thine  inland  seas. 
Thy  groves  and  giant  trees, 

Thy  rolling  plains; 
Thy  river's  mighty  sweep. 
Thy  mystic  cafions  deep. 
Thy  mountains  wild  and  steep, 

All  thy  domains. 

Thy  silver  eastern  strands, 
Thy  Golden  Gate  that  stands 

Fronting  the  west; 
Thy  flowery  southland  fair. 
Thy  sweet  and  crystal  air  — 
O,  land  beyond  compare. 

Thee  I  love  best. 


TO  A  SKYLARK 

PERCY  BYSSHE   SHELLEY 

Percy  Bysshe  Shelley  was  born  at  Sussex,  England,  August  4,  1792, 
the  son  of  a  wealthy  English  nobleman.  He  was  educated  at  Eton,  and 
entered  University  College,  Oxford,  in  1810.  A  year  later  he  was  ex- 
pelled from  college  on  account  of  the  publication  of  a  pamphlet  on 
Atheism.  In  1816,  he  was  married  to  Mary  Wollstonecraft,  also  a 
writer.  They  went  to  Italy  to  live,  hoping  the  mild  climate  would  prove 
beneficial  to  Shelley,  who  was  in  poor  health.  On  July  8,  1822,  when 
returning  from  a  visit  to  Lord  Byron  at  Leghorn,  his  boat  was  capsized, 
and  he  was  drowned  in  the  Bay  of  Spezia. 

*'The  Skylark"  was  composed  at  Leghorn  in  1820.  Mrs.  Shelley 
thus  wrote  of  the  occasion.  ''In  the  spring  we  spent  a  week  or  two 
near  Leghorn,  borrowing  the  house  of  some  friends  who  were  absent 
on  a  journey  to  England.  It  was  on  a  beautiful  summer  evening  while 
wandering  among  the  lanes,  whose  myrtle  hedges  were  the  bowers  of 
the  fireflies,  that  we  heard  the  carolling  of  the  skylark,  which  inspired 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  of  his  poems." 

Hail  to  thee,  blithe  spirit  — 

Bird  thou  never  wert  — 
That  from  heaven,  or  near  it 

Pourest  thy  full  heart 
In  profuse  strains  of  unpremeditated  art. 

Higher  still  and  higher 

From  the  earth  thou  springest, 

Like  a  cloud  of  fire: 

The  blue  deep  thou  w ingest, 
And  singing  still  dost  soar,  and  soaring  ever  singest. 

In  the  golden  lightning 
Of  the  sunken  sun, 
256 


TO   A   SKYLARK  257 

O'er  which  clouds  are  brightening, 
Thou  dost  float  and  run; 
15  Like  an  embodied  joy  whose  race  is  just  begun. 

The  pale  purple  even 

Melts  around  thy  flight; 
Like  a  star  of  heaven. 

In  the  broad  daylight 
20  Thou  art  unseen,  but  yet  I  hear  thy  shrill  delight. 

Keen  as  are  the  arrows 

Of  that  silver  sphere. 
Whose  intense  lamp  narrows 
In  the  white  dawn  clear, 
25  Until  we  hardly  see,  we  feel,  that  it  is  there. 

All  the  earth  and  air 

With  thy  voice  is  loud. 
As,  when  night  is  bare. 
From  one  lonely  cloud 
30  The  moon  rains  out  her  beams,  and  heaven  is  over- 

flow'd. 

What  thou  art  we  know  not; 

What  is  most  like  thee! 
From  rainbow  clouds  there  flow  not 
Drops  so  bright  to  see, 
35  As  from  thy  presence  showers  a  rain  of  melody. 

Like  a  poet  hidden 

In  the  light  of  thought. 
Singing  hymns  unbidden. 
Till  the  world  is  wrought 
40  To  sympathy  with  hopes  and  fears  it  heeded  not; 


258  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Like  a  high-bom  maiden 

In  a  palace  tower, 
Soothing  her  Ipve-laden 
Soul  in  secret  hour 
45  With  music  sweet  as  love,  which  overflows  her  bower; 

Like  a  glow-worm  golden, 

In  a  dell  of  dew. 
Scattering  unbeholden 
Its  aerial  hue 
50  Among  the  flowers  and  grass,  which  screen  it  from  the 

view; 

Like  a  rose  embowered 

In  its  own  green  leaves, 
By  warm  winds  deflower'd. 
Till  the  scent  it  gives 
55  Makes  faint  with  too  much  sweet  these  heavy-winged 

thieves. 

Sound  of  vernal  showers 

On  the  twinkling  grass, 
Rain-awakened  flowers. 

All  that  ever  was 
60  Joyous,  and  fresh  and  clear,  thy  music  doth  surpass. 

Teach  us,  sprite  or  bird. 

What  sweet  thoughts  are  thine; 
I  have  never  heard 
Praise  of  love  or  wine 
65  That  panted  forth  a  flood  of  rapture  so  divine. 

Chorus  hymeneal, 
Or  triumphal  chant, 


TO  A  SKYLARK  259 

Match'd  with  thine,  would  be  all 
But  an  empty  vaunt  — 
70  A  thing  wherein  we  feel  there  is  some  hidden  want. 

What  objects  are  the  fountains 

Of  thy  happy  strain  ? 
What  fields,  or  waves,  or  mountains  ? 
What  shapes  of  sky  or  plain? 
75  What  love  of  thine  own  kind  ?      What  ignorance  of 

pain? 

With  thy  clear,  keen  joyance 

Languor  cannot  be;  '  . 

Shadow  of  annoyance 
Never  came  near  thee; 
80  Thou  lovest,  but  ne'er  knew  love's  sad  satiety. 

Waking,  or  asleep. 

Thou  of  death  must  deem 
Things  more  true  and  deep 
Than  we  mortals  dream, 
85  Or  how  could  thy  notes  flow  in  such  a  crystal  stream  ? 

We  look  before  and  after, 

And  pine  for  what  is  not ; 
Our  sincerest  laughter 
With  some  pain  is  fraught; 
90  Our   sweetest    songs   are   those   that  tell  of  saddest 

thought. 

Yet  if  we  could  scorn 

Hate,  and  pride  and  fear, 
If  we  were  things  bom 

Not  to  shed  a  tear, 
95  J  know  not  how  thy  joy  we  ever  should  come  near. 


26o  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Better  than  all  measures 
Of  delightful  sound, 
■  Better  than  all  treasures 
That  in  books  are  found, 
:oo  Thy  skill  to  poet  were,  thou  scorner  of  the  ground ! 

Teach  me  half  the  gladness 
That  thy  brain  must  know, 

Such  harmonious  madness 
From  my  lips  would  flow, 
to5  The  world  should  listen  then,  as  I  am  listening  now. 


NOTES 

5     Unpremeditated.     Not  thought  of  beforehand. 
22     Silver  sphere.     The  moon.     "Arrows  of  that  silver  sphere"  is 
a  reference  to  Diana,  the  moon -goddess,  who  is  usually  represented  as 
a  huntress  carrying  a  quiver  full  of  arrows. 

55  Heavy -winged  thieves.     Honey  bees. 

56  Vernal.     Spring. 

66    Chorus  hymeneal.     Marriage  song.     Hymeneal  is  from  Hymen, 
the  god  of  marriage.     Shelley  is  fond  of  alluding  to  mythology. 
80    Satiety.     Fullness. 
89    Fraught.     Freighted;  loaded. 


THE  BROOK 
LORD   TENNYSON 

I  come  from  haunts  of  coot  and  hem, 

I  make  a  sudden  sally, 
And  sparkle  out  among  the  fern 

To  bicker  down  a  valley. 

5  By  thirty  hills  I  hurry  down, 

Or  slip  between  the  ridges, 
By  twenty  thorps,  a  little  town. 
And  half  a  hundred  bridges. 

Till  last  by  Philip's  farm  I  flow 
lo  To  join  the  brimming  river; 

For  men  may  come  and  men  may  go. 
But  I  go  on  forever. 

I  chatter  over  stony  ways, 
In  little  sharps  and  trebles; 
15  I  bubble  into  eddying  bays, 

I  babble  on  the  pebbles. 

With  many  a  curve  my  banks  I  fret. 

By  many  a  field  and  fallow, 
And  many  a  fairy  foreland  set 
20  With  willow-weed  and  mallow. 

I  chatter,  chatter  as  I  flow 
To  join  the  brimming  river; 

For  men  may  come  and  men  may  go. 
But  I  go  on  forever. 

261 


262  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

25  I  wind  about,  and  in  and  out, 

With  here  a  blossom  sailing. 
And  here  and  there  a  lusty  trout, 
And  here  and  there  a  grayling, 

And  here  and  there  a  foamy  flake 
30  Upon  me  as  I  travel, 

With  many  a  silvery  water-break. 
Above  the  golden  gravel, 

And  draw  them  all  along,  and  flow 
To  join  the  brimming  river; 
35  For  men  may  come  and  men  may  go, 

But  I  go  on  forever. 

I  murmur  under  moon  and  stars 

In  brambly  wildernesses; 
I  linger  by  my  shingly  bars; 
40  I  loiter  round  my  cresses. 

And  out  again  I  curve  and  flow. 
To  join  the  brimming  river; 

For  men  may  come  and  men  may  go, 
But  I  go  on  forever. 


NOTES 

1  Coot  and  hern.     (Hem,  heron.)     These  are  water  birds. 

2  Sally.     A  sudden  rush  or  springing  forth. 
4    Bicker.     To  move  rapidly  and  noisily. 

7     Thorps.     Groups  of  houses  standing  together  in  the  country;   a 
village. 

15     Eddying.     Whirling;    causing   small   whirlpools. 

18  Fallow.     Plowed  land  that  has  been  left  unplanted. 

19  Foreland.     A  point  of  land  running  into  the  sea. 

20  Mallow.     A  plant  having  soft,  downy  leaves. 

28    Grayling.     A  fresh -water  fish  of  the  salmon  family. 


THE  OLD   OAKEN   BUCKET 
SAMUEL  WOODWORTH 

Samuel  Woodworth,  an  American  writer  and  journalist,  was  bom  in 
Scituate,  Mass.,  January  13,  1785.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
Mirror,  a  paper  published  in  New  York.  Among  his  writings  were 
several  operettas  and  dramatic  pieces,  but  he  is  best  known  for  his 
poem,  ''The  Old  Oaken  Bucket."  He  died  in  New  York  City,  Decem- 
ber 9,  1842. 

How  dear  to  this  heart  are  the  scenes  of  my  childhood, 

When  fond  recollection  presents  them  to  view! 
The  orchard,  the  meadow,  the  deep-tangled  wild-wood, 

And  every  loved  spot  which  my  infancy  new ! 
5      The  wide-spreading  pond,  and  the  mill  that  stood  by  it, 

The  bridge,  and  the  rock  where  the  cataract  fell, 
The  cot  of  my  father,  the  dairy-house  nigh  it, 

And  e'en  the  rude  bucket  that  hung  in  the  well  — 
The  old  oaken  bucket,  the  iron-bound  bucket, 
10     The  moss-covered  bucket  which  hung  in  the  well. 

That  moss-covered  vessel  I  hailed  as  a  treasure. 

For  often  at  noon,  when  returned  from  the  field, 

I  found  it  the  source  of  an  exquisite  pleasure. 

The  purest  and  sweetest  that  nature  can  yield. 

15     How  ardent  I  seized  it,  with  hands  that  were  glowing. 

And  quick  to  the  white-pebbled  bottom  it  fell; 

Then  soon,  with  the  emblem  of  truth  overflowing, 

And  dripping  with  coolness,  it  rose  from  the  well  — 
The  old  oaken  bucket,  the  iron-bound  bucket, 
20    The  moss-covered  bucket  arose  from  the  well. 

263 


264  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

How  sweet,  from  the  green  mossy  brim  to  receive  it, 

As  poised  on  the  curb  it  inclined  to  my  lips! 
Not  a  full  blushing  goblet  could  tempt  me  to  leave  it, 

The  brightest  that  beauty  or  revelry  sips. 
25     And  now,  far  removed  from  the  loved  habitation, 

The  tear  of  regret  will  intrusively  swell. 
As  fancy  reverts  to  my  father's  plantation, 

And  sighs  for  the  bucket  that  hangs  in  the  well  — 
The  old  oaken  bucket,  the  iron-bound  bucket, 
30        The  moss-covered  bucket  that  hangs  in  the  well! 


NOTES 

I  Scenes.  The  scene  of  "The  Old  Oaken  Bucket"  is  at  Green- 
bush,  a  village  in  Plymouth  County,  Mass. 

7  Dairy-house.  The  place  where  milk  and  cream  are  kept  and 
made  into  butter. 

15     Ardent.     Eager. 

23  Blushing  goblet.  A  goblet  is  a  glass  having  a  stem  or  foot. 
This  is  a  reference  to  a  glass  of  wine. 

24  Revelry.     Merrymaking;    wild  feasting. 

25  Habitation.     Home. 

26  Intrusively.     Without  being  bidden. 

27  Reverts.    Turns  back. 


THE    STORY    OF    DAVID    AND    JONATHAN 
MYLES  ENDICOTT 

From   "Stories  of  the  Bible" 

King  Saul  began  his  reign  nobly  as  King  of  the  Israelites; 
for  the  inspiration  of  God  was  upon  him.  But,  alas,  he 
tired  all  too  soon  of  doing  right,  and  fell  back  into  his  own 
selfish  ways. 
5  Then  the  Philistines  rose  in  great  numbers  against  the 
Israelites.  Saul  himself  was  terrified;  and  he  called  the 
people  together  and  bade  them  come  with  him  to  Gilgal, 
for  Samuel  had  so  directed  them. 

Samuel  did  not  go  to   Gilgal  with  the   people;    but  he 
lo  promised  to  come  on  the  seventh  day  and  offer  sacrifices. 
The  seventh  day  came,  but  Samuel  did  not  appear.     Mes- 
sengers were  sent  out,  but  they  could  not  see  him  upon  the 
road.     Then    Saul    grew    impatient.     "We    will    wait    no 
longer!"  he  cried.     "Give  me  the  lamb,  and  I  myself  will 
15  offer  the  sacrifice!" 

Now  this  was  against  the  law;   for  no  one  but  the  priests 
and  prophets  could  offer  sacrifices. 

And  so,  when  Samuel  came  and  saw  the  smoke  rising  from 
the  altar,  he  groaned  and  said,  "What  hast  thou  done,  O 
20  Saul !    Now  will  thy  kingdom  be  taken  from  thee ;   for  God 
no  longer  approves  thy  ways." 

But  Saul  called  his  army  together,  and  thy  went  out  against 
the  Philistines. 

Now,  Saul  had  a  son  whose  name  was  Jonathan ;   and  when 

25  he  saw  the  Philistines  waiting  in  their  tents,  he  called  to  his 

armor-bearer,  and  said,  "Let  us  go  up  to  the  Philistines  and 

265 


266  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

fight  them.     They  are  stronger  than  we,  but  we  can  conquer 
theni  if  only  we  trust  in  the  Lord." 

So  Jonathan  and  his  armor-bearer  went  towards  the  great 
army. 
5      The  enemy  laughed  when  they  saw  these  two  youths  com- 
ing towards  them.     But  Jonathan  pressed  on  up  the  steep, 
narrow  path  and  over  sharp,  rough  rocks. 

When  these  two  had  reached  the  top  of  the  hill,  they  began 
to  fight  —  these  two  alone,  against  the  great  army.     Twenty 

io  men  already  had  .they  slain,  when  a  great  rumbling  was 
heard  in  the  ground  beneath  their  feet.  The  earth  shook; 
and  the  Philistines  terrified,  turned  and  fled. 

Louder  and  louder,  nearer  and  nearer,  the  rumbling  came; 
the  Philistines  ran  in  all  directions;  and  so  great  was  the  con- 

15  fusion  as  they  ran,  that  they  fell  upon  each  other;  and  so 
thousands  were  trampled  to  death.  Thus  were  the  Philis- 
tines defeated. 

But  Saul  grew  more  and  more  a  king,  proud  in  his  own 
strength,  and  forgetting  the  God  of  Israel. 

20  Once  God  bade  him  go  against  a  heathen  people,  who,  in 
all  these  years,  would  not  repent,  and  slay  them  every  one 
and  all  the  cattle  with  them.  Saul  went  against  them  and 
conquered  them;  but  the  king  he  brought  to  his  own  country, 
and  many  of  the  cattle  he  saved  for  his  own  use. 

25  "O  Saul,  Saul!"  Samuel  cried;  ''why  hast  thou  dis- 
obeyed?" But  Saul  caught  at  Samuel's  garment,  begging 
him  not  to  go  away.  The  garment  rent  in  his  grasp,  how- 
ever, and  Samuel  went  away,  prophesying,  "So,  O  Saul,  shall 
thy  kingdom  be  rent  in  twain!" 

30    .  But  Saul  would  not  listen.     Day  after  day  he  disobeyed; 

till  at  last  God  spoke  to  Samuel  and  said,  "Go  thou  to  the 

house  of  Jesse.     Take  with  you  a  horn  of  oil ;  and  thou  shalt 

find  there  a  son  of  Jesse,  whom  thou  shalt  anoint  as  king." 

Samuel  obeyed;   and  when  he  had  come  to  the  house  of 

35  Jesse,  he  bade  the  people  prepare  for  sacrifice.    Now  Jesse 


DAVID   AND   JONATHAN  267 

had  eight  sons,  and  seven  of  them  came  to  the  sacrifice.     The 
oldest  son  was  tall  and  strong  and  manly  looking. 

"Surely  this  must  be  the  man,  so  noble  looking  is  he," 
thought  Samuel. 
5  But  God  made  no  answer;  and  though  Samuel's  heart  went 
out  to  this  oldest  son,  he  knew  it  was  not  he  whom  God  meant 
should  be  anointed.  And  as  the  other  six  sons  came  forward, 
Samuel  asked  of  God,  "Is  this  the  one?" 

Still  there  came  no  answer.     "Have  you  another  son?" 
10  Samuel  asked  of  Jesse,  when  the  seven  had  passed  on. 

"  One  other  —  David,"  Jesse  answered ;  "  but  he  is  upon  the 
hillsides  watching  the  sheep." 

"Let  him  be  brought,"  Samuel  said. 

Then  David  was  brought,  a  beautiful  youth,  and  one  who 
15  could  sing  sv/eet  songs  and  make  sweet  music  upon  the  harp; 
but  little  had  he  ever  thought  of  kingly  honors. 

As  he  entered  into  the  presence  of  Samuel,  then  God's 
voice  spoke.     "This  is  the  one,"  the  voice  said;  and  Samuel 
poured  the  oil  upon  his  head  and  anointed  him  as  the  king 
20  to  come. 

Now,  while  David  watched  his  sheep  upon  the  hillsides, 
and  played  wonderful  music  upon  the  harp  he  himself  had 
made,  Saul  dwelt  in  his  house,  wretched  and  unhappy. 
Every  day  he  grew  more  rebellious,  more  unhappy  and  cruel. 
25  "Let  us  bring  someone  to  our  master,"  his  people  said, 
"who  can  make  sweet  music;,  maybe  it  would  comfort  him." 

And  it  was  in  this  way  that  David  was  brought  to  Saul; 
the  beautiful,  fair-haired  David,  whose  face  was  like  sunshine 
and  whose  voice  was  full  of  melody. 
30  And  he  came  and  sang  to  Saul.  And  as  Saul  listened  and 
looked  upon  the  sweet-faced  singer,  the  evil  in  his  heart 
faded  away.  Joy  came  again;  and  for  a  time  Saul  turned 
again  to  the  right  and  good. 

But  it  was  only  for  a  time;  and  when  temptation  came  again, 
35  Saul  fell,  and  again  the  disapproval  of  God  was  upon  him. 


268  STANDARD  CLASSIC  READER 

Again  the  Philistines  came  against  the  Israelites.  They 
had  pitched  their  tents  upon  a  high  mountain;  and  when  the 
Israelites  saw  them,  they  pitched  their  tents  upon  another 
high  mountain  across  the  valley. 
5  Now  the  Philistines  had  over  them  a  most  terrible  giant 
leader,  named  Goliath.  He  was  taller  than  any  man  the 
Israelites  had  ever  seen.  He  was  covered  with  a  thick  armor, 
which  shone  in  the  sunlight  like  brass;  and  he  bore  a  sword, 
and  a  spear,  and  a  shield  so  heavy  that  no  man  but  Goliath 
lo  could  have  lifted  it  from  the  ground. 

This  great  giant,  with  a  voice  like  thunder,  came  out  from 
the  Philistines  and  cried,  ''Why  do  you  come  to  fight  against 
us?  Choose  a  man  from  among  your  people,  and  let  him 
come  and  kill  me  if  he  can!" 
15  The  Israelites  trembled  with  fear  when  they  heard  the 
giant's  voice;  and  no  man  among  them,  not  even  Saul  him- 
self, dared  go  out  to  meet  him. 

But  one  day  Jesse  said  to  David,  who  was  at  home  watching 
his  sheep,  ''Leave  thy  sheep  to-day,  and  go  to  the  camp  and 
20  see  how  it  fares  with  thy  brothers.     Carry  to  them  this  corn 
and  bread,  and  to  their  leader  take  these  ten  cheeses." 

David  hurried  away;  and,  as  he  came  to  where  the  army 
lay,  he  heard  a  great  shout;  for  the  Israelites  were  about  to 
go  into  battle. 
25  But  as  he  drew  near,  again  Goliath  came  out  and  thun- 
dered, "Why  do  you  fight  against  us?  Send  out  one  man 
who  shall  meet  me  in  battle  and  slay  me  if  he  can!" 

And,  as  he  shouted,  the  Israelites  all  fell  back  afraid. 

"Who  is  this  Philistine  that  he  can  frighten  the  Israelites 
30 the  chosen  people  of  God?"  David  cried. 

But  David's  brother  was  angry  when  he  heard  David's 
words.  "What  know  you  of  battle,"  he  sneered;  "you  who 
art  a  tender  of  sheep?" 

But  someone  had  told  Saul  what  David  had  said,  and  Saul, 
35  ready   to,  lean  upon  anybody  or  anything,  sent  for  David. 


DAVID   AND   JONATHAN  269 

And  when  David  came  into  the  presence  of  Saul,  he  cried, 
"O  fear  not  this  Philistine!  I  myself  will  go  out  to  fight 
him!" 

" But  thout  art  a  mere  boy,"  Saul  said.     "Thou  art  unused 
5  to  battle,  and  this  giant  is  armed  with  sword  and  spear." 

"True,  I  know  little  of  battle  and  am  unused  to  the  sword 

and  spear.     But  I  am  not  weak.     One  day  a  lion  and  a  bear 

came  to  my  flock  and  I  ran  and  took  away  the  lamb  and  slew 

the  lion  and  the  bear.     For  it  was  God  who  gave  me  strength. 

10  So  will  he  help  me  to  contend  against  this  giant." 

Then  Saul  said,  "Go,  brave  boy;   and  may  the  Lord  be 

with  thee!"     Then  Saul  took  his  own  sword  and  spear  and 

gave  it  to  David.     But  David  took  them  not.     "I  know  not 

how  to  use  them,"  he  said;   "but  I  have  with  me  my  sling, 

15  and  it  is  with  this  I  will  fight." 

So  David  chose  five  smooth  stones  and  put  them  into  his 
shepherd's  bag  and  went  out  to  meet  the  giant. 

When  Goliath  saw  David,  he  roared  with  laughter.     "Hast 
thou  come  out  to  kill  me?"  he  said.     "Thou,  a  boy!     Come 
20  to  me  and  let  me  at  once  give  thy  body  to  the  birds  of  the 
air  for  food!" 

But  David  shrank  not.     "Thou  comest  to  me  with  sword 
and  spear,"  he  called  back  to  the  giant,  "but  I  come  to  thee 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord  God  of  Israel! 
25      "I  know  thou  art  very  strong  and  I  am  very  weak;   but 
God  is  with  me,  and  he  is  stronger  than  thou ! 

"He  will  give  me  power  to  conquer  and  to  slay  thee;   for 
the  battle  is  God's  and  he  will  give  thee  into  my  hands." 

And,  with  these  brave  words,  David  ran  out  to  meet  Goliath. 
30  He  took  one  of  the  smooth  stones  and  put  it  into  his  sling  and 
shot  it  at  the  giant.  Straight  through  the  air  it  flew  and  hit 
the  giant  in  the  forehead,  so  that  he  fell,  stunned,  to  the 
ground.  Then  David  ran  and  took  the  giant's  sword,  and 
cut  off  his  head,  and  held  it  up  before  the  people. 
35     A  great  cry  of  terror  went  up  from  the  Philistines,  who  had 


270  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

seen  their  great  commander  fall,  they  hardly  knew  why;  and 
they  turned  and  fled.  Then  the  Israelites  pursued  them  and 
drove  them,  scattered,  into  the  forests  and  across  the  plains. 

Then  Saul  took  the  head  of  Goliath  and   carried   it  to 
5  Jerusalem;   and  the  Israelites  held  a  great  feast  and  rejoiced 
in  their  victory. 

Now,  although  David  before  this  had  played  and  sung  to 
Saul,  that  king  had  forgotten  him.     So  that  now  when  he 
came  into  the  tent  he  said,  "Who  art  thou?" 
to      And  David  answered,  ''I  am  David,  the  son  of  Jesse  of 
Bethlehem." 

Then  Saul  took  David  to  his  house  to  live  with  him  at  his 
own  court  and  receive  the  honors  due  him  for  so  brave  a 
victory.     And  at  the  court  David  saw  Jonathan,  Saul's  son, 
15  and  these  two  youths  became  close  friends. 

All  the  servants  in  the  house  loved  David,  too;  for  he  was 
kind  and  gentle  always.  And  for  a  long  time  Saul  loved 
David  above  his  own  son  even,  and  was  glad  that  the  people 
of  the  court  loved  him. 
2o  But,  by  and  by,  a  change  came  into  Saul's  heart.  Wretched 
and  unhappy  as  he  was,  with  God  against  him  because  he 
himself  was  not  true,  he  began  to  hate  those  around  him  who 
were  not  wretched  and  unhappy.  And  when  he  saw  the 
sunshine  in  David's  face,  and  saw  the  love  about  him,  he  grew 
25  jealous  and  bitter  towards  him,  and  his  love  and  pride  in 
him  changed  to  burning  hate. 

Every  time  David  went  forth  into  battle,  Saul  hoped  he 
would  be  slain;  but  God  was  with  David,  and  Saul  saw  him 
come  back  from  each  battle  more  and  more  victorious. 
30  At  one  time,  when  David  had  returned  victorious  from  a 
battle  with  the  Philistines,  the  women  of  Israel  went  out  to 
meet  him,  dancing  and  singing. 

One  company  sang: 

'*Saul  has  Slain  his  thousands.'' 
35     And  the  other  company  answered: 


DAVID   AND    JONATHAN  271 

And  David  his  ten  thousands." 
These  words  displeased  Saul,  and  he  was  very  wroth. 
"They  sing  that  David  has  slain  his  ten  thousands,  while  I 
have  slain  but  thousands."  And  Saul  was  jealous;  and,  at 
5  last,  so  bitter  did  he  become,  that  he  commanded  Jonathan 
and  the  servants  of  the  house  to  slay  David.  Then  Jonathan 
went  to  David  and  said,  "Hide  thyself,  for  my  father  seeks 
to  slay  thee." 

Then  Jonathan,  gentle  and  kind  of  heart  as  was  David 
10  himself,  went  to  Saul  and  pleaded  for  the  friend  he  loved. 
"Sin  not  against  David,  O  my  father  and  my  king,"  he 
said.     "Slay  him  not,  for  he  is  good;   and  never  has  he  dis- 
obeyed thee.     Remember  how  bravely  he  fought  the  Philis- 
tines, killing  the  cruel  giant.     Thou  didst  rejoice  in  him 
15  then;  why  now  art  thou  changed?" 

And  for  a  time  Saul's  heart  was  softened;  and  he  promised 
that  no  harm  should  come  to  David. 

Then  David  came  back  to  the  house  of  Saul,  and  again 
there  was  peace  between  them.     But  soon  the  Philistines 
20  came  again  against  the  Israelites,  and  David  again  went  forth 
and  conquered  them. 

Now  Saul  rejoiced  not  in  this  victory;   but  rather  did  his 

heart  grow^  black  again  towards  David.     And  one  day,  when 

David  sat  even  at  his  feet  playing  upon  his  harp,  Saul  raised 

2$  a  spear;  and  had  not  David  escaped  from  the  room,  he  would 

have  slain  him. 

David  at  last  went  to  Samuel  at  Ramah.  He  dared  stay 
no  longer  in  the  house  of  Saul.  But  when  Saul  heard  that  he 
had  fled  to  Samuel,  he  sent  soldiers  to  take  him. 
30  But  when  the  soldiers  entered  into  the  presence  of  Samuel, 
the  wish  to  slay  David  went  out  from  them,  and  in  its  place 
came  sweet  peace  and  love  towards  all  men. 

Then  Saul  sent  more  men;   but  they,  too,  grew  gentle  in 
the  presence  of  Samuel  and  the  holy  prophets  with  him. 
35      Furious  then,  Saul  himself  came;   but  even  upon  him  the 


272  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

sweet  spirit  fell;  and  for  the  time  his  heart  was  full  of  kind- 
ness towards  David,  and  again  he  promised  to  do  him  no 
harm. 

But  again  temptation  came  upon  Saul,  and  again  his  heart 
5  was  filled  with  bitter  hatred  towards  David. 

David  saw  this;  and  escaping  from  Ramah,  he  fled  to  Jona- 
than, and  told  him  of  his  trouble  and  of  his  danger  at  the  hand 
of  Saul. 

''I  know  thy  father,  Saul,  is  seeking  to  kill  me,"  David  said, 
lo  ''He  does  not  tell  thee  this,  because  he  knows  that  I  have 
found  grace  in  thine  eyes,  and  that  it  would  vex  thee;  but 
I  know  there  is  but  a  step  between  me  and  death." 

It  was  hard,  indeed,  for  Jonathan  to  hear  these  things, 
for  he  loved  his  father  and  his  friend  above  all  else  in  the 
15  world. 

Jonathan  bowed  his  head  in  grief.  "Tell  me,"  he  said, 
"what  can  I  do  to  save  thee?" 

"To-morrow  Saul  has  a  great  feast,"  David  answered, 
"and  he  thinks  I  shall  be  there.  Let  me  go  and  hide  myself 
20  instead.  My  father  has  a  great  sacrifice  for  his  family  at 
Bethlehem,  and  I  wish  to  be  there.  If  Saul  inquires  for  me, 
tell  him  I  asked  to  go  to  my  father's  sacrifice  at  Bethlehem. 
Watch  then,  and  see  if  he  is  angry  or  not." 

And  Jonathan  said,  "Let  us  go  out  now  into  the  field,  and 
25  we  will  think  what -we  must  do."  So  they  both  went  out  and 
walked  in  the  field.  "To-morrow  I  will  talk  to  my  father," 
Jonathan,  said  "and  if  I  see  that  he  is  kind  and  friendly,  I 
will  send  and  tell  thee;  if  he  is  angry,  then  too  I  will  tell  thee, 
and  send  thee  away  safely.  But  if  we  part,  and  never  see  one 
30  another  again,  do  not  forget  me.  Love  me,  and  think  about 
me  while  I  live;  and  after  I  am  dead,  remember  me,  and  be 
kind  to  my  children  and  family.  Do  not  forget  my  love  to 
thee." 

Then  David  promised  never  to  forget  Jonathan;  and  to 
35  love  his  children,  and  be  kind  to  them  after  Jonathan's  death. 


DAVID   AND   JONATHAN  273 

But  David  and  Jonathan  could  not  talk  together  long.  David 
must  hide  himself.  So  Jonathan  said,  "Go  now;  and,  after 
three  days,  come  again  to  the  place  where  thou  didst  hide 
before.  Then  I  will  come  and  bring  a  lad  with  me,  and  I 
5  will  shoot  arrows,  and  tell  the  lad  to  go  and  bring  them  to 
me.  If  I  tell  the  lad  that  the  arrow  is  near  to  him,  know  that 
all  is  safe ;  but  if  I  tell  him  that  the  arrows  are  far  off  beyond 
him,  then  know  that  there  is  danger,  and  make  haste,  and 
escape." 

10  The  next  day  was  Saul's  feast,  but  David  was  not  there. 
Saul  looked  for  him,  but  could  see  him  nowhere.  The  next 
day,  David  again  was  not  at  the  feast.  Then  Saul  asked, 
"Where  is  David?  He  was  not  at  the  feast  yesterday,  and 
I  do  not  see  him  here  to-day.     Why  does  he  not  come?" 

IS  "He  asked  me  to  let  him  go  home,"  Jonathan  said,  "to 
a  sacrifice  at  Bethlehem.  His  father  wanted  him'  there." 
Then  Saul  was  angry,  and  he  said,  "David  shall  die;  send 
and  bring  him  here,  for  he  shall  surely  die." 

But  Jonathan  answered,  "Why  must  David  die?    He  has 

20  done  no  wrong."  Then  Saul  was  still  more  angry.  He  threw 
a  spear  at  Jonathan  that  he  might  kill  him  because  of  his  love 
for  David.  But  Jonathan  got  up  quickly,  and  went  away 
from  the  table. 

The  third  day  Jonathan  went  again  into  the  field  to  meet 

25  David,  taking  the  little  boy  with  him.  Jonathan  had  his 
bow  and  arrows.  He  shot  an  arrow  a  long  way  off,  and  then 
cried  to  the  boy,  "Run,  and  bring  me  the  arrow!  There  it  is, 
a  long  way  beyond  thee!" 

David  was  hidden  in  the  field,  and  heard  what  Jonathan 

30  said.  And  when  the  boy  was  sent  home,  David  arose  and 
came  to  Jonathan.  He  knew  that  he  must  now  go,  and  part 
from  his  dear  friend ;  and  that  perhaps  they  would  never  meet 
again. 

David  and  Jonathan  threw  their  arms  around  each  other, 

35  and  kissed  one  another,  and  wept.     Then  Jonathan  said, 


•     274  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

"Go  in  peace;  God  will  be  with  us;  He  will  be  our  friend. 
Do  not  forget  me,  nor  my  children  after  me;  and  I  will  never 
forget  thee." 

Then  David  went  away,  and  Jonathan,  sad  at  heart,  re- 
5  turned  home. 

He  went  to  Nob,  in  Benjamin,  where  the  tabernacle  was; 
and  there  he  saw  Abimelech,  the  priest.  David  knew  that 
he  could  not  now  go  often  to  worship  God  in  the  holy  place; 
for  he  must  hide  from  Saul,  that  he  might  thereby  save  his 

lo  life. 

Abimelech  wondered  very  much  to  see  David,  and  asked 
why  he  had  come.  "King  Saul  sent  me  here,"  he  said, 
"upon  secret  business.  He  commanded  me  not  to  say  what 
the  business  is.     Give  me,  I  pray  thee,  some  of  the  bread  I 

15  see  there."  Now  the  bread  which  Abimelech  had  was  the 
shew-bread.  It  was  hallowed  bread,  of  which  the  priests 
alone  might  eat.  But  Abimelech  gave  some  to  David  and 
to  the  men  with  him,  because  they  were  hungry  and  could  get 
no  other. 

20  Then  David  asked  the  priest  to  give  him  some  armor. 
Abimelech  had  there  the  sword  of  Goliath,  and  this  he  showed 
to  David.  David  was  pleased  to  see  this  sword  again;  for 
it  made  him  remember  how  God  hath  helped  him  to  conquer 
and  kill  the  great  giant,  so  short  a  time  before. 

25  David  took  the  sword  and  went  to  Gath,  and  to  King 
Achish.  Achish  was  a  kind  king;  but  he  was  a  Philistine. 
Naturally  his  people  did  not  love  David,  remembering  what 
he  had  done  in  times  past  to  the  Philistines.  And  so  David 
was  unhappy  at  Gath.    He  was  afraid  of  Achish  and  of  his 

30  people;  he  knew  they  might  kill  him  or  tell  Saul  about  him. 
Still  he  dared  not  go  away  without  reason. 

So  he  pretended  to  be  mad.  He  ran  about  wildly,  and 
scratched  upon  the  doors,  and  did  many  more  seemingly 
mad  things.     Then  Achish  sent  him  away;  and,  free  to  do 

35  as  he  pleased,  he  went  and  hid  in  a  cave. 


DAVID   AND   JONATAAN  275 

While  David  was  in  the  tabernacle  at  Nob,  talking  to  the 
priests,  a  man  came  whose  name  was  Doeg.  He  was  the 
keeper  of  Saul's  cattle,  a  very  wicked  man,  and  an  enemy 
of  David.  Saul  had  heard  that  David  was  escaping  from 
5  place  to  place,  and  so  tried  to  find  him,  that  he  might  kill 
him.  He  asked  his  servants  to  tell  him  all  they  knew  about 
David,  who  were  his  friends,  and  who  had  helped  him  to 
escape. 

And  Doeg  said,  "I  saw  David  come  to  Nob,  to  Abimelech, 

10  the  priest;  and  I  saw  Abimelech  give  him  food  and  the  sword 
of  the  giant  Goliath."  At  once,  then,  Saul  sent  for  Abimelech 
and  all  the  priests  that  were  at  Nob.  "Why  hast  thou  given 
bread  and  a  sword  to  David,  my  enemy,  and  helped  him  to 
fight  against  me,  and   kill  me?"  he  cried.     Abimelech  an- 

15  swered,  '*'  David  is  not  an  enemy!  He  is  faithful  and  obedient 
to  the  king;  and  I  knew  nothing  of  all  this." 

But  Saul  would  not  believe  Abimelech,  and  he  commanded 
the  servants  who  stood  by,  to  slay  Abimelech,  and  to  put  all 
the  other  priests  to  death! 

20  But  the  servants  would  not  kill  these  holy  priests.  Then 
Saul  turned  to  Doeg.  "Kill  thou  these  priests!"  Doeg, 
cruel  as  Saul,  was  glad  to  obey.  He  drew  his  sword,  and 
slew  thern  all,  eighty-five  in  number,  and  then  went  to  Nob 
and  killed  the  people  there,  men  and  women  and  children. 

25  Only  one  son  of  Abimelech,  named  Abithar,  escaped,  and  he 
ran  to  David,  and  told  him  the  sad  story. 

But  David  was  not  alone  in  his  wanderings.  Many  men 
came  to  help  him;  ready  to  follow  wherever  he  went.  He 
was  their  captain  and  they  obeyed  him. 

3c  The  Philistines  were  now  fighting  again  against  Israel; 
and  David  and  his  men  went  to  try  to  conquer  them.  Once 
David  was  very  tired  and  thirsty  with  long  fighting.  The 
Philistines'  camp  was  then  at  Bethlehem;  and  there  was  a 
well  of  water  near  it.     "  Oh !  that  one  would  give  me  to  drink 

35  of  the  water  of  the  well  of  Bethlehem ! "  David  cried.     David's 


276  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

soldiers  hearing  the  cry,  ran  in  through  their  enemies,  drew 
the  water  and  brought  it  to  David.  So  much  did  they  love 
their  master  that  they  thought  not  of  their  own  danger  I  But 
when  David  saw  his  friends  in  peril,  he  said,  **No,  I  will  not 

5  drink  it!     My  brave  soldiers  have  suffered  more  than  I,  and 

they  are  thirsty  too.     This  water  is  too  good  for  me;   I  will 

give  it  to  God."     So  he  poured  it  out,  an  offering  to  the  Lord. 

But  where  was  Jonathan  all  this  time  ?     Did  he  ever  see  his 

friend  David  again?    Yes;   for  Jonathan  had  not  forgotten 

lo  him.  Once,  when  he  heard  where  David  was,  he  went  to 
find  him  secretly  in  the  wood.  How  glad  they  were  to  meet 
again!  They  had  much  to  say  to  one  another.  "Do  not 
fear,"  Jonathan  said;  "my  father  cannot  hurt  thee,  because 
God  has  promised  to  keep  thee,  and  some  time  to  make  thee 

15  king."  Then  David  and  Jonathan  prayed  together,  and 
kissed  one  another.  It  was  the  last  time;  they  never  met 
again  on  earth. 

When  Saul  had  finished  fighting  with  the  Philistines,  he 
went  into  the  wilderness,  taking  his  many  soldiers  with  him. 

20  They  wandered  about  day  after  day  among  the  caves,  trying 
to  find  David.  But  God  still  kept  David  in  safety  from  his 
enemies.  At  last  Saul  came  to  a  cave,  and  went  into  it  to 
rest,  for  he  was  tired.  The  cave  was  very  large;  so  large  it 
could  hold  many  people,  and  Saul  and  his  men  thought  they 

25  were  alone  in  it.  But  David  and  his  soldiers  were  in  this 
very  cave.  Saul  did  not  see  them,  for  they  were  in  another 
part  of  it ;  so  he  went  in,  and  lay  down,  and  fell  asleep. 

David's  men  saw  Saul  when  he  came  into  the  cave,  and 
said  to  their  master,  "See,  there  is  Saul!     God  surely  has 

30  given  him  into  thy  hand!"  David  arose  and  went  to  Saul. 
There  he  lay  asleep.  He  had  no  power  to  hurt  David,  but 
David  could  kill  him  now  if  he  liked.  But  David  had  no 
angry  feelings  in  his  heart;  he  had  no  wish  to  hurt  his  enemy; 
but  he  went  quietly  and  cut  off  a  piece  of  Saul's  robe. 

35      By  and  by  Saul  awoke  and  arose  to  go  away.    Then  David 


DAVID   AND    JONATHAN  277 

cried  out  and  said  to  him,  " My  lord,  the  king!"  Saul  turned 
around,  amazed.  David  bowed  before  him,  and  said,  ''God 
to-day  gave  thee  into  my  power  when  thou  wast  asleep  in  the 
cave.     But  I  remembered  that  thou  art  a  king  chosen  by 

5  God,  and  therefore  I  did  not  hurt  thee.  I  never  did  thee  any 
wrong.  Why  dost  thou  try  to  kill  me  ?  God  knows  I  am  not 
thine  enemy." 

Then  Saul  began  to  weep.  "  Is  it  thy  voice,  my  son  David  ?  " 
For  David's  gentleness  made  Saul  gentle,  too.     "Thou  hast 

10  been  more  righteous  than  I,"  Saul  said;  "thou  hast  rewarded 
me  good,  though  I  rewarded  thee  evil."  Then  Saul  went 
away;,  and  David's  kindness  made  Saul,  too,  kind  for  a  little 
time. 

While  David  was  wandering  about  in  the  wilderness  of 

15  Enged  and  Paran,  he  and  his  men  were  often  in  need  of  food. 

There  was  a  man  who  lived  at  Maon,  named  Nabal.     He 

was  very  rich,  and  had  great  possessions  in  Carmel  of  sheep 

and  goats  and  camels.     Now  David  knew  that  Nabal  was 

very  rich,  and  he  sent  messengers  to  him  to  ask  for  food, 

20  bidding  them  speak  most  respectfully  to  Nabal;  for  David 
taught  them  always  to  honor  and  respect  all  men.  But  Nabal 
was  a  selfish  and  cruel  man.  He  cared  little  for  other  people. 
All  his  money  and  all  his  possessions  he  kept  for  his  own 
use.     He  never  gave  a  thought  to  the  poor  and  hungry,  who 

25  had  no  home  and  no  food.  So  Nabal  was  angry  with  David's 
servants  and  instead  of  giving  them  anything,  he  drove  them 
away,  and  sent  them  back  again  to  David.  Then  David  was 
angry  too.  He  told  his  men  to  take  their  swords,  and  make 
themselves  ready  to  go  to  Nabal,  that  they  might  kill  this 

30  selfish  man. 

Now,  Nabal  had  a  wife  named  Abigail;  but  she  was  not 
at  all  like  her  husband ;  she  was  gentle  and  kind,  and  willing 
to  help  others  whenever  she  could.  And  so,  when  Abigail 
heard  of  Nabal's  cruelty,  she  was  most  sorrowful.     She  knew 

35  that  David  was  a  good  man,  and  that  he  was  in  great  trouble, 


278  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

trying  to  hide  from  Saul.  Abigail  wished  to  be  kind  to  him 
and  his  men;  so  she  called  h^r  servants,  and  told  them  to  make 
ready  some  sheep,  and  corn,  and  figs,  and  grapes,  and  take 
them  to  David,  while  she  herself  followed,  not  telling  Nabal 
5  where  she  was  going.  When  Abigail  met  David,  she  fell 
on  her  face  before  him.  Then  she  spoke  very  gently  to  David, 
begging  him  not  to  be  angry,  but  to  forgive  her  wicked  hus- 
band. 

Samuel  meantime  had  died.     He  had  died  and  was  buried 

lo  at  Ramah;  and  all  Israel  wept  and  mourned  for  him. 

But  David  was  still  in  the  wilderness  of  Ziph,  when  Saul 
again  went  to  seek  him  there.  David  saw  Saul  come  into  the 
wilderness,  but  Saul  did  not  see  him;  so  Saul  put  a  pillow 
upon  the  ground,  and  lay  down,  and  fell  asleep;   and  all  his 

15  men  slept  too.     Then  David  arose  and  went  to  Saul.     He 

was  lying  upon  the  ground  on  the  pillow;   his  spear  was  by 

him,  and  the  soldiers  were  sleeping  around  him.     It  was 

night  and  all  was  quiet.     None  saw  David  and  his  men. 

''Let  us  kill  Saul  now,"  one  of  David's  servants  said; 

20  "all  his  soldiers  are  asleep,  and  he  is  in  our  power;  he  cannot 

defend  himself,"     But  David  said,  "No,  we  must  not  kill 

him,  though  he  is  our  enemy.     He  is  our  king  and  we  are  his 

servants,  and,  therefore,  we  must  respect  and  honor  Saul." 

Then  David  took  away  Saul's  spear,  and  a  bottle  of  water 

25  which  was  near  the  pillow,  and  went  to  the  top  of  a  hill  afar 
off.  Then  he  cried  to  Saul's  captain  and  said,  "What  are 
you  doing?  Why  do  you  not  watch  over  your  king?  See 
where  the  king's  spear  is,  and  the  cruse  of  water  that  was  at 
his  bolster."     Saul  knew  David's  voice,  and  cried,  "Is  thi.> 

30  thy  voice,  my  son  David?"  Then  David  said,  "Yes,  it  i.; 
my  voice.  Why  dost  thou  come,  seeking  to  kill  me?  What 
evil  have  I  done?"  Again  Saul  felt  sorry,  and  said,  "I  have 
sinned,  but  I  will  no  more  seek  lo  do  thee  wrong."  Then 
•David  again  willingly  forgave  Saul,  and  spoke  gently  to  him; 

35  and  one  of  Saul's  servants  came,  and  took  back  the  spear  and 


DAVID   AND    JONATHAN  279 

the  bottle  of  water.     Then  Saul  blessed  David  and  they  parted, 
never  to  meet  each  other  again. 

David  grew  weary  of  wandering  about  in  fear  of  Saul.  He 
knew  that  Saul  would  forget  his  promise  and  might  come  again 
5  and  try  to  kill  him.  So  he  determined  to  go  to  the  Philistines' 
country  and  ask  Achish,  king  of  Gath,  to  take  care  of  him. 
Accordingly  David  called  his  family  and  his  soldiers;  and  they 
all  went  to  Gath.  Achish  met  David  and  was  very  kind  to 
him.     He  gave  him  a  city,  named  Ziklag,  and  there  David 

10  lived  in  safety.  Saul  knew  this,  but  he  did  not  again  try  to 
kill  him.  But  David  was  not  idle  while  he  lived  at  Ziklag. 
He  often  went  out  to  fight  against  the  Amalekites,  and  at  last 
he  conquered  and  killed  them. 

But  all  this  time  Saul  was  still  in  his  own  home,  unhappy 

15  and  discontented;  the  evil  spirit  troubling  him  more  and 
more.  The  Philistines  now  came  to  fight  against  Israel, 
and  Saul  gathered  together  all  his  soldiers  at  Gilboa.  But 
his  heart  stood  still  when  he  looked  upon  the  army  of  his 
enemies. 

20  What  could  Saul  do  now?  He  called  his  servants,  and 
asked  them  if  they  knew  a  witch  who  could  tell  him  what  he 
wanted  to  know.  The  witches  were  wicked  women,  who 
pretended  to  have  the  power  of  raising  dead  people,  and  of 
foretelling  future  things.     But  Saul  was  now  grown  so  weak, 

2^  that  he  was  willing  to  hang  his  hopes  even  upon  the  advice 
of  a  witch.  Saul's  servants  told  him  of  a  witch  living  at 
Endor.  So  he  changed  his  dress  that  people  might  not  know 
him,  and  went  secretly,  by  night,  to  Endor.  Saul  came  to 
the  house  where  this  wicked  woman  lived,  and  asked  her 

30  first  to  raise  a  dead  man  to  life  for  him.  The  woman  did  not 
know  Saul,  and  refused  at  first  to  do  what  he  asked ;  for  she 
was  afraid  of  being  put  to  death.  But  Saul  told  her  not  to 
fear,  and  he  promised  she  should  not  be  punished.  Then  she 
said,  "Whom  shall  I  bring  up  ?"    And  Saul  told  her  to  bring 

35  up  Samuel. 


28o  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

The  foolish  woman  had  no  power  to  raise  Samuel.  But 
God  himself  raised  up  a  figure  like  Samuel,  and  he  spoke  to 
Saul.  When  the  woman  saw  the  figure  coming  up  out  of  the 
ground,  she  herself  was  frightened.  She  cried  out  for  fear. 
5  Then  Saul  looked  too.  What  did  he  see?  He  saw  the  figure 
of  an  old  man.  It  was  like  Samuel,  and  he  bowed  down  to 
the  ground.  Then  the  figure  asked,  "  Why  hast  thou  called  me 
up?"  Saul  said,  "I  am  sore  distressed;  the  Philistines  make 
war  against  me;   God  is  gone  from  me,  and  answers  me  no 

lomore;  and  I  have  called  thee  to  tell  me  what  I  shall  do." 
Then  the  figure  said,  "Why  dost  thou  ask  me,  if  the  Lord  is 
thine  enemy?  He  has  departed  from  thee,  and  given  the 
kingdom  to  David,  because  thou  obeyedst  not  His  voice. 
The  Philistines  will  fight  against  Israel;    and  Israel  will  be 

15  conquered ;  and  to-morrow  thou  and  thy  sons  shall  be  with 
me." 

Saul  fell  down  upon  the  ground  in  fear  and  horror.  He 
had  now  no  hope!  To-morrow  he  must  die!  His  body  must 
fall  in  the  battlefield!     The  woman  understood  now  who 

20  Saul  was;  and  she  and  his  servants  tried  to  comfort  him. 
She  spoke  kindly  to  him;  and  made  ready  some  meat  and 
bread  for  him  to  eat.  But  all  this  could  do  Saul  no  good; 
for  he  was  going  to  die!  Saul  arose  from  the  ground,  ate  the 
food  the  woman  had  made  ready,  and  then,  with  his  servants, 

25  went  away.     It  was  night  —  Saul's  last  night  of  life!    Saul 

could   not  sleep.     In  the  morning  he  went  to  the  battle! 

The  battle  was  on  Mount  Gilboa.     The  Philistines  conquered, 

and  many  of  the  Israelites  were  slain  on  the  field. 

Then  the  Philistines  followed  on  after  Saul,  and  shot  him 

30  with  their  arrows,  and  sorely  wounded  him.  Then  he  knew 
that  his  enemies  would  soon  come  and  kill  him.  He  called 
his  armor-bearer,  and  asked  him  to  kill  him,  that  he  might 
not  be  put  to  death  by  the  cruel  Philistines.  But  the  armor- 
bearer  was  afraid  to  kill  Saul;  so  Saul  took  a  sword,  and  fell 

35  upon  it,  and  died.     When  the  armor-bearer  looked  at  Saul, 


DAVID   AND   JONATHAN  281 

and  saw  that  he  was  dead,  he,  too,  took  a  sword,  and  fell  upon 
it,  and  died. 

And  the  Israelites  saw  that  Saul  and  his  sons  were  dead. 
They  ran  from  their  cities,  and  left  their  houses;    and  the 

5  Philistines  came  and  took  possession  of  them.  The  next 
day,  when  the  Philistines  came  to  look  at  the  field  of  battle, 
they  found  Jonathan  and  his  brothers  and  Saul  —  all  lying 
dead  upon  the  ground.  The  cruel  Philistines  cut  off  Saul's 
head,  and  took  away  his  armor,  and  sent  home  the  news  of 

lo  their  victory,  shouting  for  joy.  They  nailed  Saul's  body  to  a 
wall;  but  the  people  who  lived  in  Jabesh-Gilead  were  kind 
to  their  king,  and  honored  him.  They  took  his  body  and  his 
sons'  bodies,  and  buried  them  under  a  tree,  and  mourned 
for  them  many  days. 

15  And  all  this  time  David  was  still' in  Ziklag.  After  the  battle 
a  messenger  came  to  David  from  Saul's  camp.  His  clothes 
were  rent  and  dust  was  upon  his  head ;  and  David  knew  that 
he  had  bad  news  to  tell.  "Who  has  gained  the  battle?"  he 
asked,  "and  what  has  happened  to  Saul  and  Jonathan?" 

20  The  messenger  said,  "The  people  are  fled  from  the  battle 
and  many  are  fallen  and  dead,  and  Saul  and  Jonathan  are 
dead  also." 

Then  David  asked  him  how  all  this  happened,  and  the 
messenger  told  him  that  he  had  seen  Saul  on  Mount  Gilboa 

25  in  great  distress,  pursued  by  the  Philistines,  and  that  Saul 
had  asked  him  to  slay  him.  "So,"  the  man  said,  "I  stood 
on  him,  and  slew  him,  and  took  his  crown  and  his  bracelet; 
and  I  have  brought*  them  here  .to  thee."  And  was  David 
pleased?    No;    he  wept  for  Saul,  and  for  his  dear  friend 

30  Jonathan.  He  was  even  angry  with  the  man  who  told  him 
of  their  death;  for  David  thought  the  story  was  all  true. 

NOTES 
265:  I     King  Saul.    The  first  king  of  the  Hebrews,  1055-1033  b.  c. 
265:  I     Israelites.    The  descendants  of  Jacob  or  Israel;  the  "children 
of  Israel."    They  gradually  became  known  by  the  name  "Jews." 


266: 

32 

268: 

6 

270: 

II 

27i: 
ilesti 

27 
ne. 

282  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

265:  5  Philistines.  People  dwelling  in  Philistia,  who  were  fre- 
quently at  war  with  the  Israelites.  They  reached  their  highest  power 
in  the  reigns  of  Saul  and  David. 

265:  7  Gilgal.  In  Bible  geography  the  name  of  various  places  in 
Palestine.  The  name  means  a  heap  of  stones  dedicated  to  religious 
purposes.  The  Gilgal  mentioned  here  was  probably  a  mound  raised 
for  sacrifices. 

265:  8  Samuel.  A  Hebrew  prophet,  son  of  Elkanah  and  Hannah. 
In  his  early  youth  he  felt  himself  called  to  the  high  vocation  of  a 
prophet,  and  obtained  a  place  in  the  history  of  Israel  second  only  to 
Moses. 

Horn  of  oil.    Horns  of  animals  were  used  for  oil,  wine,  etc. 
Goliath.     A  giant  of  Gath,  one  of  the  cities  of  the  Philistines. 
Bethlehem.    In  Judea.     The  birthplace  of  Christ. 
Ramah.     In  Bible  geography,  the  name  of  several  places  in 
The  Ramah  of  Samuel  was  northwest  of  Jerusalem. 

274:  6  Nob.  A  city  of  the  Old  Testament,  near  Jerusalem,  to  the 
north.     Its  exact  site  is  unknown. 

274:  16  Shew-hread.  (Show.)  Among  the  ancient  Jews,  the  bread 
which  was  placed  every  Sabbath  before  Jehovah  on  the  table  of  shittim- 
wood,  overlaid  with  gold,  set  in  the  holy  place,  on  the  north  side  of  the 
altar  of  incense.  It  consisted  of  twelve  loaves,  to  represent  the  twelve 
tribes  of  Israel,  and  was  made  of  fine  flour,  sprinkled  with  incense. 

275:  I  Tabernacle.  A  sacred  and  holy  place.  In  Jewish  history, 
the  tabernacle  that  served  as  a  sanctuary  of  the  nation  was  a  tent  so 
constructed  that  it  could  be  moved  about  from  place  to  place,  until  its 
final  settlement  in  Jerusalem. 

277:  15  Enged.  (Hebrew,  "spring  of  the  goat.")  In  the  geography 
of  the  Bible,  a  place  on  the  western  shore  of  the  Dead  Sea,  having 
many  caverns. 

277:  15  Paran.  In  Bible  geography,  a  wilderness  south  of  Pales- 
tine, and  north  of  Sinai.  It  was  the  scene  of  the  wanderings  of  the 
Israelites  before  they  entered  Canaan. 

279:  9    Ziklag.     In  Bible  geography,  a  town  in  southern  Palestine. 

279:12  Amalekites.  The  descendants  of  Amalek,  grandson  of  Esau, 
and  prince  of  an  Arab  tribe. 

279:27  Endor.  (Hebrew,  "spring  of  Dor.")  In  Bible  geography, 
a  village  in  Palestine,  near  Tabor. 

280:  27  Mount  Gilboa.  A  mountain  in  Issachar,  which  bounds  the 
lower  plain  of  Galilee  on  the  east,  running  from  southeast  to  north- 
west. 

281:  II  Jabesh-Gilead.  In  Bible  geography,  an  important  town  in 
Gilead,  Palestine. 


THE  SIEGE  OF  TROY 
MARA   L.   PRATT 

(From  "  Myths  of  Old  Greece") 

On  the  top  of  Mount  Pelion  there  was  a  great  cave  —  so 
deep  that  no  man  had  ever  journeyed  into  the  darkness  of  the 
mountain  to  find  its  inner  chambers,  where,  on  great  occa- 
sions, the  gods  held  high  carnival. 
5  Beautiful  indeed  was  this  cave  within.  Its  walls  sparkled 
with  crystals  of  Iris's  colors,  and  the  great  hall  floor  shone 
like  glass. 

Together,  one  evening,  when  the  days  were  short  and  the 

Sun-god  had  early  driven  his  chariot  beyond  the  cloud-land 

lo  of  the  west,  the  gods  met  in  the  wondrous  cave.     It  was  the 

wedding  feast  of  King  Peleus  and  the  goddess,  Thetis,  who 

rose  each  morning  from  the  sea. 

Never  was  there  a  bride  more  beautiful.     Her  soft  green 

robe  was  woven  by  the  Nereids  in  their  grottos  beneath  the  sea. 

15  Her  chaplet  of  pearls  was  a  gift  of  Poseidon,  and,  as  she 

walked,  the  sandals  upon  her  snowy  feet  shone  like  the  sunlight 

on  the  waves. 

Now  Peleus  had  been  banished  from  his  own  country,  and 
for  many  a  weary  day  had  wandered,  sad  and  lonely,  up 
20  and  down  the  valley  by  the  sea. 

One  morning  there  came  a  voice  to  him  from  among  the 

trees.     It  was  a  soft  voice,  and  it  spoke  to  him  in  kindness: 

"O  Peleus,  the  gods  have  looked  with  pity  upon  your  weary 

exile;  and  to  your  prayers  great  Zeus  has  listened.     He  sends 

25  to  you  now,  to  bring  you  joy,  the  beautiful  sea-nymph,  Thetis, 

2S3 


284  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

who  rises  like  the  gentle  morning  mist  from  out  the  waters. 
Behold,  already  she  is  beside  you!" 

Peleus  looked;  but  nowhere  did  he  see  the  maiden  whom 
Zeus  had  sent  to  be  his  bride. 
5      Then  Peleus's  heart  grew  sad  again,  and  he  bowed  his  head 
in  grief. 

"But  I  am  here,"  said  a  soft  voice  again  by  his  side.  "It 
is  I  —  Thetis  —  the  sea-nymph." 

"But  I  see  only  the  slow-rising  mist  that  floats  above  the 
10  waters,"  said  Peleus  sadly. 

"But  I  am  in  the  mist,'^  said  the  voice  again.  "Care  you 
not  for  the  gifts  of  the  gods?  Will  you  not  search  for  me?" 
"My  life  would  I  give  for  this  sweet  gift  of  the  gods,"  said 
Peleus,  fervently,  "but  where  may  I  search  for  thee?" 
15  "In  the  mist  1  in  the  mist !"  whispered  the  trees ;  and  Peleus 
hastened  close  to  the  water's  brink.  "Thetis,  Thetis,"  he 
cried,  "do  not  hide  from  me.     Thetis!    Thetis!" 

Then  the  mist  came  closer;   it  rolled  across  the  waters;   it 
lifted  itself  from  the  fields,  and  stood  at  last  a  shining  pillar 
20  of  white  light  upon  the  hilltop. 

"Never,  never  will  I  permit  thee  to  escape  from  me!"  said 

Peleus.     Across  the  fields,  up  the  hillside,  he  hurried,  calling 

upon  the  gods  to  give  him  strength  and  speed ;  and  when  he 

reached  the  hilltop,  there  Thetis  stood,  the  beautiful  water 

25  maiden,  in  her  soft  robe  of  trailing  green. 

And  so  it  came  about  that  there  was  great  rejoicing  among 

the  gods,  and  the  great  cave  was  ablaze  with  light ;  for  in  the 

banquet  hall  a  feast  was  spread,  and  all  the  gods  and  goddesses 

were  there  to  celebrate  the  wedding  of  the  beautiful  Thetis 

30  and  the  brave  Peleus. 

The  vaulted  roof  of  the  cave  was  studded  with  precious 
stones;  and  the  shining  floor  reflected  back  the  thousand 
flaming  torches  that  the  sea-nymphs  bore. 

Peleus,  clad  in  shining  armor,  the  gift  of  Zeus,  shone  with 
35  a  glory  that  rivalled  the  Iris-colored  walls;  and  Thetis,  never 


THE   SIEGE   OF   TROY  285 

so  beautiful,  stood  like  a  shining  moonlight  cloud,  amid  the 
ten  thousand  happy  guests. 

Wonderful  were  the  gifts  to  Peleus.     There  were  the  death- 
less horses  which  Poseidon  brought,  and  a  handsome  chariot 
5  of  finely  wrought  gold;   for  such  were  the  gifts  suited  to  the 
hero  who  should  win  the  heart  of  the  lovely  Thetis. 

First  at  the  banquet  table  sat  great  Zeus,  and  beside  him 
the  haughty  Hera  and  the  smiling  Aphrodite.  The  fleet- 
footed  Hermes  was  there ;  and  Hebe,  who  brought  the  golden 
10  cup.  The  Muses  made  soft  music.  Iris  spread  an  arch  of 
color  above  the  widespread  table;  the  sea-nymphs  danced; 
and  Apollo  played  upon  his  magic  lyre. 

Never  was  there  feast  more  joyous,  never  wedding  more 

auspicious.     But  alas!   one  goddess  there  was  who  stood  in 

15  the  darkness  outside  and  muttered  evil  threats,  and  plotted 

to  bring  sorrow  and  disturbance  upon  the  gods  who  had  not 

bidden  her  to  the  feast. 

It  was  while  Apollo  sang  his  softest  music,  and  the  company 
sat  hushed  in  happy  silence,  that  Eris,  taking  upon  herself  a 
20  form  invisible,  crept  into  the  banquet  hall  and  threw  into  the 
midst  of  the  gods  assembled  a  golden  apple. 

Large  and  golden  was  the  apple,  and  upon  it  were  written 
the  words : 

For  the  Fairest. 

"Whence  came  this?'*  asked  Zeus,  when  Hermes  laid  it  at 
25  his  feet. 

*'  We  know  not,"  said  Hermes ;  "it  fell  just  now  as  from  out 

the  roof  of  the  cave.     Surely  it  is  a  gift  for  the  beautiful"  — 

but  there  Hermes  stopped.     "For  the  Fairest  1"     Surely  it 

was  not  for  Hermes  to  say  which  of  the  beautiful  goddesses 

30  was  most  fair. 

Even  Zeus  looked  from  one  to  another,  speaking  not  a 
word.  What  had  at  first  seemed  so  simple  became  now  a 
puzzle  indeed,  even  to  the  all- wise  Zeus. 

"For  the  Fairest!"  and  Zeus  looked  toward  Hera.     "For 


286  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

the  Fairest!"  and  he  looked  toward  Aphrodite  and  Athene. 
Would  not  some  one  claim  it,  and  so  relieve  him  of  the  task 
of  choosing? 

"Why  delay?"  spoke  out  Hera,  her  handsome  face  flushing 
5  angrily.     "Is  it  so  difficult  to  know  that  the  apple  is  intended 
for  me,  the  queen  ?  " 

"  Of  what  moment  is  it  to  be  queen,"  cried  Athene,  "  if  one 
has  not  with  it  the  grace  of  mind  and  gentleness  of  heart  that 
makes  one  queenly?    The  apple  is  intended  for  me;    for 
lo  it  is  I  who  have  the  true  beauty  that  perishes  never." 

"Nonsense,  bothl"  cried  Aphrodite.  "With  me  dwells 
joy.  In  me  all  mankind  rejoices.  To  be  happy,  that  is  best. 
That  is  the  true  beauty.     The  apple  should  be  mine." 

"Truly,  it  is  an  apple  of  discord,"  and  Zeus  sighed. 
15      "It  is  mine  I"  said  Hera,  haughtily. 

"Minel"  flashed  Aphrodite. 

"It  is  mine  alone,"  said  Athene,  with  a  dignity  that  awed 
the  gods  and  goddesses  to  silence. 

But  soon  the  strife  broke  forth  again.  Not  one,  from  the 
20  highest  to  the  least  among  the  nymphs,  but  arrayed  herself 
upon  the  side  of  one  or  another  of  the  beautiful  goddesses  who 
claimed  the  apple  of  discord  for  herself.  The  music  of  Apollo 
was  hushed;  the  Muses  fled  in  grief,  and  the  sea-nymphs, 
frightened,  crept  back  to  their  peaceful  grottos  beneath  the 
25  sea;  and  in  place  of  the  joy  that  had  been,  now  all  was  bitter 
wrangling. 

Already  the  chariot  of  the  Sun-god  had  appeared  in  the 
eastern  sky,  when  Zeus,  rising,  said:  "Let  all  discord  now 
cease.  It  is  not  for  one  of  us  to  say  which  goddess  is  most 
30  beautiful.  Let  us  leave  the  decision  to  some  mortal  who 
dwells  upon  the  earth  below.  Even  now,  I  see  far  across  the 
sea,  a  youth  who  tends  his  sheep  upon  the  hillside.  He 
rises  now  from  sleep,  and  stands  beneath  the  grateful  shade 
of  the  sacred  tree.  Flee,  swift-footed  Hermes,  flee  to  the 
35  hillside  where  the  youth  Paris  guards  his  flocks.    Tell  him 


THE  SIEGE  OF  TROY  287 

of   the   gift   for  the  fairest,  and  by  his  decision  will  we 
abide." 

Then  Hermes,  obedient,  led  the  three  goddesses  across  the 
sea  and  up  the  hillside  where  Paris  watched  his  flock  —  an 
5  innocent,  happy  youth,  not  dreaming  of  the  greatness  so  soon 
to  be  his. 

"Hard,  indeed,  is  it  to  choose,"  said  Paris,  when  the  three 
goddesses  stood  before  him;  "but  if  choose  I  must,  then 
would  I  give  the  apple  to  thee,  O  Aphrodite!" 

10  "Wise  youth,"  said  Aphrodite;  and  as  a  reward  for  your 
wisdom,  you  shall  have  that  which  shall  make  you  the  envied 
of  all  the  world ;  for  the  most  beautiful  woman  dwelling  upon 
the  earth  shall  be  your  wife;  and  with  her  you  shall  dwell, 
prince  and  princess,  in  a  great  and  glorious  city." 

15  "I  thank  you,  kind  Aphrodite,"  said  Paris;  "but  I  have 
already  a  wife,  (Enone,  who  is  to  me  the  most  beautiful  in  all 
the  earth." 

Aphrodite  made  no  answer;  for  she  well  knew  that  what- 
ever the  gods  promised,  that  thing  must  happen;  and  the  three 

20  goddesses  rose  high  in  the  air  and  sped  away  towards  Mount 
Olympus;  and  Paris,  although  he  did  not  know  it  yet,  was 
a  changed  man ;  for  all  the  future  that  was  to  have  been  was 
swept  away,  and  a  new  future  now  beckoned  him  onward. 

It  happened  that  on  the  next  day  Priam,  king  of  Troy,  sat 
25  musing.  "Once,"  said  he  to  himself,  "I  had  a  little  son 
whose  beauty  was  like  that  of  a  god.  But  the  Oracle 
prophesied  that  one  day  he  would  bring  destruction  upon 
this  kingdom,  and  that,  through  him,  this  people  would  fall 
into  the  power  of  a  foreign  people." 
30  "Alas,  alas,  my  child!  what  cruel  fate  set  this  decree  upon 
your  luckless  life;  and  what  was  there  left  for  me  to  do  but, 
for  the  safety  of  my  people,  to  send  you  from  the  kingdom 
and  command  that  you  be  slain  ?  Alas !  my  brave  son,  beauti- 
ful and  strong,  even  as  a  god  is  beautiful  and  strong!" 


288  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

And  the  old  king  sat  for  hours,  looking  out  across  the  city, 
within  whose  walls  peace  had  reigned  for  many  a  year. 

''But  thou  art  not  forgotten,  pale  shade  of  Trojan  Prince," 
the  old  king  said,  rising,  ''and  on  the  very  morrow  shall  a 

5  great  feast  be  made,  and  there  shall  be  music  and  games  — 
all  in  honor  of  the  Trojan  Prince  whose  life  was  sacrificed  for 
the  safety  of  his  people!" 

Then  the  king  called  his  trusty  servants  to  him,  and  bade 
them  go  out  into  the  fields  and  up  the  hillsides,  where  they 

I o  would  find  the  strongest,  sleekest  cattle.     "From  the  flock," 
said  he,  "bring  to  me  the  bull  fittest  for  sacrifice;   and  to- 
morrow shall  be  a  festal  day  in  honor  of  the  Prince  now  gone 
years  since  to  the  pale  land  of  shades." 
Now,  there  was  one  among  the  oldest  servants  who  sighed 

15  a  deep  sigh.  To  him  had  been  entrusted  the  slaying  of  the 
baby  prince;  and  well  did  he  remember  the  great  terror 
that  came  upon  him  when  he  threw  the  child  into  the  fire  and 
it  burned  not,  and  when  he  left  him  upon  the  cold  hillside  and 
he  suffered  not. 

20  "It  was  not  the  will  of  the  gods,"  the  old  servant  now 
whispered  to  himself,  "that  the  child  should  die;  and  it  is  a 
secret  with  them  and  me  that  even  now  he  dwells  amid  his 
flocks  upon  the  hillsides  without  the  city;  and  a  brave  youth 
he  is  —  my  young  Paris,  the  herdsman!     And  well  worthy  is 

25  he  to  be  the  king  of  Troy  when  at  last  old  King  Priam  passes 
from  the  light  of  day." 

Now  it  was  from  the  herd  of  Paris  that  the  bull  was 
chosen  for  the  sacrifice;  and  so  angry  was  Paris  that  his 
herds  should  be  disturbed,  that  he  declared  that  he  him- 

30  self  would  drive  it  into  the  city  and  that,  moreover,  he 
would  contend  for  the  prizes  side  by  side  with  the  youths 
of  the  city. 

The  morning  dawned  bright  and  clear;  and  before  the  sun 
had  spanned  the  arch  of  heaven  by  one  half  its  course,  the 

35  games  were  at  their  height.     Brave,  indeed,  were  the  Trojan 


THE   SIEGE   OF  TROY  289 

youths,  and  bravest  of  them  all  was  Hector,  the  son  of  old 
King  Priam;  but  with  the  strong  young  shepherd  lad  none 
could  contend.  Prize  after  prize  was  laid  at  his  feet,  until 
Hector,  angry,  took  his  place  before  the  youth  and  bade  him 
5  withdraw  from  the  games. 

*'I  will  notl"  thundered  Paris;  and  had  Hector  been  less 
a  hero,  he  would  have  quailed  before  the  ringing  voice  of  the 
daring  youth. 

"Look!    Look!"  cried  Priam's  queen.     ''Mark  the  two 

10  youths!  How  like  thiey  are!  The  same  fair  hair;  the  same 
clear  eyes!  Priam,  Priam,  I  could  believe  it  is  our  son,  our 
Prince,  lost  so  many  years  ago  to  us!" 

**0  blinded  king!  O  blinded  king!"  cried  Cassandra, 
the  prophetess.     "  See  you  not  that  this  is  your  own  son  — 

15  the  son  who  so  long  ago  you  sent  forth  to  die  upon  the  woody 
hills  of  Ida?  Do  you  not  know  that  the  gods  slay  not  those 
whom  they  would  have  live,  and  that  it  is  the  same  child  that 
stands  now  before  you,  a  victorious  hero  on  his  own  first 
festal  day?" 

20  And  so  it  came  about  that  Paris  was  taken  to  the  palace  of 
the  king  and  given  a  place  of  honor  beside  his  father,  at  the 
long  table  of  the  banquet  hall.  All  the  people  rendered  honor 
unto  him,  and  he  was  henceforth  known  in  all  the  kingdoms 
round  about  as  Paris,  the  long-lost  son  of  Priam — Paris, 

25  the  Prince  of  Troy.    " 

For  many  happy  months  Paris  dwelt  in  the  palace  of  the 
•king,  rejoicing  in  his  new-found  home  and  friends;  and  al- 
most had  the  cruel  prophecy  been  forgotten,  so  happy  were 
the  king  and  queen  in  their  two  brave  and  handsome  sons, 

30  Hector  and  Paris. 

But,  alas!  the  gods  forget  not  their  decrees;  and  one  day 
there  came  to  Troy  a  hero  from  the  shores  of  Greece.  Most 
valiant  service  had  the  Grecian  Menelaus  rendered  Troy, 
and  such  friendship  sprang  up  between  him  and  Paris,  that, 

35  when  the  Grecian  returned  to  his  home,  he  took  the  youth 


290  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

with  him;   nor  was  there  any  honor  that  was  not  showered 
upon  him,  the  fair-haired  Prince  of  Troy. 

But  now  had  come  the  time  for  the  fulfihnent  of 
the  prophecy.  No  sooner  had  Paris  reached  the  kingdom 
5  of  Menelaus  than,  forgetting  honor,  gratitude,  all,  he  stole 
the  beautiful  Helen,  the  wife  of  Menelaus,  and  fled  with  her 
across  the  seas  —  for  Helen  was  the  most  beautiful  woman 
in  all  the  world. 
And  so  it  came  about  that  through  Paris,  Troy  fell,  and  the 

lo  Trojans  of  the  city  lost  their  liberty  and  their  glory  as  a 
people.  For  when  Menelaus  knew  the  misfortune  that  had 
fallen  upon  him,  he  raised  a  great  army  and  marched  against 
the  city  of  Troy,  whither  Paris  had  fled  with  Helen,  the  beauti- 
ful queen  of  the  Grecians. 

15     For  long,  long  years  the  army  besieged  the  city;  thousands 
upon  thousands  of  the  bravest  Trojans  and  the  bravest  Gre- 
cians fell  in  battle;   still  there  seemed  no  hope  of  victory  to 
either  side. 
With  both  armies  the  gods,  too,  fought  —  some  with  the 

20  Trojans,  some  with  the  Greeks,  and  bitter  was  the  contest 
between  the  foes. 

But  at  last  the  Greeks,  resorting  to  strategy,  built  a  wonder- 
ful wooden  horse,  so  large  that  hundreds  of  Greeks  could 
easily  conceal  themselves  within  it,  and  this  they  left  before 

25  the  gates  of  Troy,  withdrawing  the  armies  to  a  distant  shelter 
that  the  Trojans  might  believe  that,  despairing  of  success, 
they  had  set  forth  for  their  distant  homes,  defeated. 

Great  was  the  rejoicing  of  the  Trojans  when,  looking  out 
from  the  watch  towers  one  morning,  they  found  the  plain 

30  outside  the  city  clear,  and  no  foe  in  sight  as  far  as  eye  could 
reach.  ''But  what  is  this?"  they  said,  as  they  saw  the  great 
wooden  horse  outside  their  gates. 

"It  is  an  offering  to  the  gods,"  said  one.  "Let  us  drag  it 
into  the  city  and  place  it  where  stood  the  Palladium,  which 

25  the  Greeks  stole  from  us  and  so  ruthlessly  destroyed!" 


THE   SIEGE   OF  TROY  291 

And  so  it  was  the  Trojans  fell  into  the  trap  the  Greeks  had 
set  for  them:  and  when  the  wooden  image  had  been  placed 
in  the  great  square,  and  night  had  settled  upon  the  city,  the 
Greeks  sprang  forth  from  their  hiding  place,  rushed  to  the 

5  gates,  threw  them  open,  signalled  to  the  army  waiting  outside, 
and  before  the  Trojans  knew  the  fate  that  had  fallen  upon 
them,  the  streets  were  filled  with  Greeks.  With  flaming 
torches  they  thronged  the  streets  and  set  on  fire  the  homes  and 
public  buildings;   the  temple  they  razed  to  the  ground;   the 

10  altars  were  desecrated ;  the  city  walls  were  thrown  down,  and 
the  people  driven  captive  from  the  city  that  had  been  so  long 
their  home. 

Such  was  the  end  of  the  Trojan  power;  such  was  the  fate 
brought  upon  the  people  by  the  perfidy  of  Paris,  the  fair- 

15  haired  Prince  of  Troy,  of  whom  it  was  prophesied  at  birth, 
''This  child  shall  provfe  the  destruction  of  the  Trojan  empire." 


NOTES 

283:  I     Mount  Pelion.     A  mountain  in  Magnesia,  Thessaly,  Greece. 

283:  6     Irises  colors.     Iris  was  the  rainbow  goddess. 

283:  9    Sun-god.     Apollo,  the  son  of  Zeus. 

283:  II     King  Peleus.     King  of  the  Myrmidons,  in  Thessaly. 

283:  14    Nereids.     Beautiful  young  girls,  nymphs  of  the  sea. 

283:  15  Poseidon.  The  god  of  the  sea.  In  Roman  mythology 
he  was  known  as  Neptune. 

283:  24     Exile.     Banishment  from  home  or  country. 

283:  24  Zeus.  The  ruler  of  the  gods.  In  Roman  mythology  he 
was  known  as  Jupiter. 

284: 31     Vaulted.     Arched. 

285 :  8  Hera.  The  queen  of  heaven,  sister  of  Zeus.  Among  the 
Romans  she  was  knov«Ti  as  Juno. 

285:  8  Aphrodite.  The  goddess  of  love,  so  named  on  account  of 
having  risen  from  the  sea  foam.  In  Roman  mythology  she  was  known 
as  Venus. 

285 :  9  Hermes.  The  messenger  of  the  gods.  He  was  known  as 
Mercury  by  the  Romans. 


292  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

285 :  9    Hehe.     The  cup-bearer  of  the  gods. 

285:  10  Muses.  These  were  nine  goddesses,  daughters  of  Zeus. 
Clio  was  the  Muse  of  history;  Euterpe,  of  music;  Thalia,. of  comedy 
and  pastoral  verse;  Melpomene,  of  song  and  harmony  and  of  tragedy; 
Terpsichore,  of  choral  dance  and  song;  Erato;  of  erotic  poetry;  Poly- 
hymnia, of  the  stately  and  inspired  hymn;  Urania,  of  astronomy; 
Calliope,  the  chief  of  the  Muses,  of  poetic  inspiration,  eloquence,  and 
heroic  or  epic  poetry. 

285:  14     Auspicious.     Favorable. 

285:  19    Eris.     The  goddess  of  strife  and  discord. 

286:  2  Athene.  Pallas  Athene,  the  goddess  of  wisdom.  She 
was  known  as  Minerva  by  the  Romans. 

286:  15     Discord.     Disagreement;    want  of  harmony. 

287:  20  Mount  Olympus.  The  home  of  the  gods.  According  to 
legend,  it  was  concealed  from  mortal  sight  by  a  wall  of  clouds. 

287:  26  Oracle.  The  ancient  Greeks  often  requested  the  gods  to 
prophesy  in  regard  to  matters  about  which  they  desired  information. 
The  answers  to  these  requests  were  made  through  priests  of  the  gods, 
known  as  Oracles. 

288:3    Shade.     Spirit;    ghost. 

288:  3     Trojan  Prince.     Paris,  a  prince  of  Troy. 

288:  13    Pale  land  of  shades.     The  place  of  the  dead. 

289:13  Cassandra.  Daughter  of  King  Priam.  The  gift  of 
prophecy  was  conferred  on  her  -by  Apollo. 

289: 2,2>     Menelaus.     The   king  of  Sparta. 

290:  22     Strategy.     Gaining  an  object  by  means  of  a  trick. 

290: 34  Palladium.  The  famous  image  of  Pallas  Athene,  on 
which  the  fate  of  Troy  depended.  According  to  the  legend,  the  statue 
fell  from  heaven,  and  was  preserved  with  great  care  by  the  Trojans. 

291:9    Razed.     Torn  down;   leveled  to  the  ground. 

291:  10     Desecrated.     Profaned;    made  unholy. 

291:14    Perfidy.     Faithlessness;     base    treachery. 


THE  ADVENTURES   OF  ULYSSES 
MARA  L.   PRATT 

(From  "  Myths  of  Old  Greece  ") 

Now,  among  the  brave  Greek  generals  who  had  fought 
with  such  skill  and  patience,  who  had  been  among  the  first 
to  urge  his  countrymen  on  to  avenge  the  wrong  to  Menelaus, 
who  never  for  a  day  wavered  in  his  purpose  to  rescue  the 
5  beautiful  Helen,  and  so  save  the  reputation  of  his  country  for 
courage  and  success  in  war,  was  Ulysses,  the  friend  of 
Menelaus. 

Never  a  battle  but  Ulysses  was  in  the  foremost  ranks  and 
in  the  thickest  of  the  fight;  never  a  success  that  Ulysses  was 
lo  not  among  the  bravest  of  the  victors;  and  never  a  defeat  that 
Ulysses  was  not  still  the  ready  support  of  the  defeated,  the 
daring,  defiant,  never-failing  man  of  courage,  spurring  his 
companions  on  to  fresh  endeavor  and  to  fiercer  battle.  For 
such  was  the  hero  of  these  early  times  when  Greece  and  Troy 
15  fought  together. 

Now  this  brave  Ulysses  had  been  watched  over  and  pro- 
tected during  this  long  siege  by  more  than  one  of  the  powerful 
gods  that  dwelt  on  Mount  Olympus;  still,  there  were  other 
gods  who,  hating  the  Greek  leaders  and  being  determined 
20  that  Troy  should  conquer  in  the  great  warfare,  fought  against 
Ulysses  and  pursued  him  with  disaster,  even  on  his  homeward 
voyage. 

''Now  that  the  war  is  finished  and  Troy  is  overthrown," 

said  Ulysses,  "my  heart  turns  towards  home.     There  did  I 

25  leave  my  faithful  Penelope  and  my  brave  son,  a  child  only, 

but  now  a  tall  youth,  noble  and  brave  I  know,  trained  as  he 

has  been  by  so  noble  a  mother." 

293 


294  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Then  certain  ones  among  the  gods  counseled  together. 
"He  shall  endure  great  suffering;  he  shall  be  wrecked;  ene- 
mies shall  rise  up  on  every  side,  and  for  long,  long  years  shall 
he  be  tossed  upon  the  wave." 
5  "But  at  last,  in  spite  of  all  your  threats,"  rang  out  the  clear 
voice  of  Athene,  "he  shall  reach  his  home,  and  shall  find 
awaiting  him  the  noble  Penelope  and  the  brave  youth." 

And  so  it  was  Ulysses  set  forth  upon  the  sea.     The  sails 
were  set,  the  oarsmen  were  at  their  places,  and  with  joyous 
lo  heart,  Ulysses  turned  the  vessels  toward    his  home,  happy 
and  hopeful,  not  knowing  the  fate  that  lay  before  him. 

But  hardly  had  the  sun  journeyed  once  across  the  sky, 

before  Poseidon,  the  sea-god,  sent  upon  the  little  ships  a 

terrible  storm.     The  winds  blew,  the  waves  rose  high,  and  the 

15  little  fleet,  driven  hither  and  thither,  drifted  upon  the  shores 

of  the  Lotus-eaters. 

Three  men  Ulysses  sent  inland  to  learn  what  manner  of 
people  these  Lotus-eaters  might  be.  Day  after  day  passed 
by,  but  the  three  men  never  returned.  At  last,  no  longer 
20  willing  to  endure  the  waiting,  Ulysses  and  his  men  made  their 
way  into  the  island  to  learn  what  terrible  fate  might  have 
overtaken  their  companions. 

Sadly  and  with  hearts  heavy,  they  made  their  way  in  from 
the  rocky  shore;   but  upon  the  sunny,  flowery  banks  of  the 
25  sparkling  river  there  the  three  men  lay,  eating  of  the  fruit  of 
the  lotus-tree. 

"O  come  and  eat,"  said  they;  "then  let  us  remain  forever 
in  this  land  of  ease  and  plenty." 

"But  your  homes!"  said  Ulysses,  surprised  at  the  change 
30  that  had  come  to  his  three  most  valiant  men. 

"Do  not  trouble  us,"  they  answered  dreamily;  "we  are 
content.  Eat  of  the  lotus  fruit;  then  you,  too,  shall  be  con- 
tent." 

But  Ulysses  saw  that  a  spell  was  upon  them,  and,  sum- 
35  moning  his  crew,  he  bade  them  seize  the  three  spell-bound 


ADVENTURES   OF   ULYSSES  295 

men  and  drag  them  to  their  vessel.  And  not  until  they  were 
placed  upon  the  benches  and  the  oars  again  were  within 
their  grasp,  did  the  spell  lift  itself  from  them,  and  give 
them  power  again  to  strive  bravely  in  the  struggle  to  reach 
5  their  homes. 

''Let  us  row  away  from  this  spellbound  island,"  cried 
Ulysses,  "with  speed.  Surely  greater  danger  is  here  upon  us 
than  that  of  war." 

On,  on  the  vessel  sped.  "Now  we  shall  have  fair  sailing," 
10  said  the  crew;  but  old  Poseidon,  hearing  these  vain  words, 
lashed  the  waters  round  about  him  and  roared  with  glee; 
for  slowly,  surely,  as  the  night  wore  on,  the  vessel  was  drifting, 
drifting  close  upon  the  rocky  shores  of  the  island  where  Poly- 
phemus tended  his  flocks,  and  watched  with  his  one  great  eye 
15  for  ships  that  came  too  near  his  shores. 

When  the  sun  rose  beyond  the  waters  far  away  to  the  east, 
Ulysses  saw  before  him  a  great  black  cave.  Great  trees 
stood  before  it,  and  over  it  clustered  heavy  vines. 

Near  by,  large  flocks  of  sheep  lay  sleeping  on  the  hillsides. 
20      "These  are  goodly  sheep,"  said  the  crew.     "Let  us  rest 
here  and  feast  ourselves." 

But  as  they  looked,  behold,  the  whole  dark  forest  raised 
itself  black  against  the  sky  —  or  at  least,  so  it  seemed  — 
and,  terrified,  the  crew  stood  trembling  upon  the  shore,  daring 
25  neither  to  advance  nor  to  turn  and  flee  to  the  ship. 

Then  a  great  roar  filled  the  air;  the  forest  shook  itself,  and 
there  above  them,  glaring  down  upon  them  with  his  one  great 
horrid  eye,  stood  the  giant  Polyphemus. 

But  he  saw  them  not,  and  when  he  had  turned  away, 
30  Ulysses  and  his  adventure-loving  crew  made  their  way  to  the 
great  cave  where  Polyphemus  dwelt,  and  where  at  night  he 
stabled  his  numerous  flocks. 

Into  the  cave  the  men  made  their  way,  and  finding  food 
and  wine,  they  seated  themselves  for  a  generous  feast. 
35     Suddenly  darkness  fell  upon  the  cave;   for  at  the  entrance 


296  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

stood  the  giant  Polyphemus,  and  before  him  into  the  cave 
came  the  vast  flocks. 

*'Let  us  hide,"  said  Ulysses;  and  glad  indeed  were  all  the 
crew  to  conceal  themselves  in  niches  in  the  rock. 
5  For  a  long  time  Polyphemus  perceived  not  the  terror- 
stricken  men;  but  as  the  fire  flashed  higher,  lighting  up  the 
gloomy  walls  of  the  dismal  cave,  the  hiding  places  were 
revealed. 

''You  sea-robbers!     You  thieves  1"  thundered  Polyphemus, 
10  "how  dare  you  steal  into  my  home  unasked  1" 

"We  are  no  sea-robbers,  neither  are  we  thieves,"  answered 
Ulysses  boldly.  "We  are  Greeks,  returning  from  the  Trojan 
war,  and  driven  by  the  unfriendly  tide  upon  your  shores." 

But  little  cared  Polyphemus  for  tales  of  heroes  or  of  dis- 
15  aster  either  upon  land  or  sea;   and,  seizing  two  of  the  com- 
panions of  Ulysses,  he  swallowed  them,  while  his  roar  of 
satisfied  greed  echoed  through  the  cave  and  shook  it  to  its 
foundations. 

Then  the  giant  rolled  a  great  stone  up  at  the  door  of  the 
20  cave  that  neither  sheep  nor  men  might  escape,  and  stretched 
himself  out  upon  the  floor  to  sleep;  nor  did  he  wake  until  the 
sun  was  high  in  the  heavens. 

Then  seizing  two  more  of  the  unfortunate  men,  he  swallowed 
them,  drove  forth  his  flocks,  rolled  up  the  great  stone  before 
25  the  door,  and  went  forth  to  tend  his  sheep  in  the  pasture. 

Sad  at  heart  were  Ulysses  and  his  men  as  the  long  day  wore 
on.  At  nightfall  the  giant  returned,  ate  two  more  men,  and 
again  lay  down  to  sleep. 

But  Ulysses  had  already  planned  revenge  upon  the  cruel 

30  giant;  and  when  again  his  heavy  slumber  shook  the  cave,  the 

men  crept  forth  from  their  hiding-places,  thrust  a  sharp  iron 

into  the  one  eye  the  Cyclop  had,  and  even  while  he  roared  with 

pain,  hid  themselves  among  the  sheep. 

Wild  with  anger  the  huge  creature  roared  and  raged,  and 
35  stretched  his  great  arms  in  all  directions  to  seize  upon  his 


ADVENTURES   OF   ULYSSES  297 

foe;  but  they  were  safe  among  the  sheep;  and  when  Poly- 
phemus burst  open  the  great  cave  door  and  roared  out  across 
the  sea,  the  men,  clinging  to  the  long  wool,  and  hidden  from 
the  touch  of  Polyphemus,  were  dragged  forth  by  the  frightened 
5  sheep  as  they  rushed  from  the  cave. 

Never  was  there  so  narrow  an  escape  from  cruel  death,  not 
even  in  the  fiercest  of  the  Trojan  battles;  and,  weak  with 
fright,  daring  not  even  yet  to  speak,  the  men  staggered  down 
to  the  shore,  swam  out  to  their  ship,  seized  the  oars  in  their 
10  trembling  hands  and  made  their  way  out  into  the  sea,  for- 
getting not  to  offer  sacrifices  and  prayers  of  gratitude  to  the 
gods  that  they  had  been  spared  so  terrible  a  death. 

For  days  the  little  ship  sailed  bravely  on;  the  sky  was  fair, 
the  winds  favorable,  and  old  Poseidon  seemed  to  have  for- 
15  gotten  his  cruel  designs  upon  Ulysses  and  his  weary  crew. 

But  by  and  by  there  rose  before  them  f irom  out  the  sea,  a 
great  island  of  rock;  and  around  its  crest  was  a  great  wall  of 
shining  brass. 

"Who  dwells  within  these  walls?"  shouted  Ulysses,  com- 
20  ing  nearer. 

And  a  voice  answered,  "I,  ^Eolus,  the  Keeper  of  the  Winds, 

dwell  here;   and  with  me  are  my  six  strong  sons  and  my  six 

strong  daughters.     Bring  thy  vessel  close  upon  my  shores, 

and  come  and  dwell  with  me;  for  welcome  are  all  strangers  in 

25  my  island." 

Very  glad  were  Ulysses  and  his  men,  and  straightway  the 
vessel  was  driven  ashore. 

For  four  long  weeks  the  men  rested  in  the  island,  feasted 
by  King  ^olus.  But  at  the  end  of  the  fourth  week,  Ulysses 
30  bade  farewell  to  their  kind  host,  and  again  the  little  crew 
set  forth  upon  the  sea. 

Many  were  the  gifts  and  rare  with  which   King  JEohis 

loaded  the  little  vessel;  but  strangest  of  them  all  was  the  gift 

of  a  bag  of  winds.     For  iEolus  was,  as  he  had  said,  the  keeper 

35  of  the  winds,  and  without  his  permission  no  wind  could  blow. 


298  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Knowing,  then,  that  his  guests,  whom  he  had  come  to  love 
full  well,  longed  for  clear  weather  and  fair  sailing,  iEolus 
had  fastened  into  a  great  bag,  tied  with  strong  silver  cords, 
all  but  the  soft  west  wind ;  and  it  was  this  bag  he  had  given 
5  into  the  keeping  of  Ulysses,  saying:  "Guard  well  this  bag; 
for  in  it  have  I  imprisoned  the  adverse  winds,  so  that  only  the 
west  wind  shall  be  abroad;  for  it  is  that  wind  that  shall  guide 
you  gently  towards  your  home,  the  sunny  land  of  Ithaca." 

Gladly  did  Ulysses  prize  this  greatest  of  all  gifts;   and  so 
lo  true  was  the  promise  of  ^Eolus,  that,  at  the  end  of  ninety  days 
only,  the  shores  of  their  loved  land  lay  full  in  sight. 

"Now,"  sighed  Ulysses,  "our  disasters  are  at  an  end.     The 
rising  of  to-morrow's  sun  shall  see  our  little  vessel  lying  in  the 
harbor  from  whence,  so  many  long,  long  years  ago,  we  sailed 
15  forth  to  carry  war  against  the  Trojans." 

But  alas  for  Ulysses'  hopes !     Not  yet  were  the  wishes  of  the 

god's  fulfilled ;  not  yet  was  the  time  come  when  the  wanderer 

should  rest  within  the  peace  and  quiet  of  his  home.     And  so 

it  came  about  that  jealousy  and  suspicion  rose  in  the  hearts 

20  of  the  companions  of  Ulysses. 

"Who  is  Ulysses,"  they  said,  "that  he  should  hold  a  secret 
in  which  we  have  no  part  ?  How  are  we  to  know  what  may 
lie  concealed  in  the  great  bag  with  the  silver  string?  Let 
us  open  it,  since  it  is  not  his  will  to  tell  us,  and  learn  for  our- 
25  selves.  Surely  we  have  shared  his  perils,  and  whatever 
treasure  he  has  concealed,  that,  too,  we  have  a  right  to  share." 

And  so,  while  Ulysses  slept,  the  men  crept  towards  the  bag 
and  unfastened  the  silver  cord ;  when,  lo  1  there  rushed  forth 
like  hissing  serpents  the  imprisoned  winds. 
30  They  shrieked  and  howled  among  the  sails;  they  lashed 
the  water  till  it  was  white  with. foam;  the  great  black  clouds 
rose  on  every  side,  and  there  was  upon  the  sea  a  storm  so 
terrible  that  even  the  gods  on  Mount  Olympus  trembled,  and 
the  little  ships  were  scattered  far  and  wide  upon  the  stormy 
35  waters. 


ADVENTURES  OF  ULYSSES  299 

Days  passed;  the  storm  abated,  and  Ulysses  and  his  men, 
now  penitent  and  heavy-hearted,  found  themselves  upon  a 
strange  coast,  where  the  clififs  rose  black  and  tall,  and  the 
waters  seethed  around  the  treacherous  rocks. 

5  "Let  us  rest,  even  upon  this  inhospitable  shore,"  said  the 
men ;  but  scarcely  were  the  anchors  dropped  and  the  men  on 
shore,  when  there  rushed  upon  them  a  great  giant,  who,  seizing 
two  of  the  men,  swallowed  them,  and  roared  with  glee  to  think 
how  grand  a  feast  he  now  should  have. 

10  But  the  men,  seeing  the  dreadful  fate  of  the  two,  fled  from 
the  shore  and  scrambled  up  the  sides  of  the  vessels. 

After  them  in  swift  pursuit  came  the  giants,  hundreds  upon 
hundreds  of  them;  and  tearing  up  great  rocks  and  trees,  they 
hurled  them  at  the  vessels,  crushing  them  like  shells,  and 

15  scattering  the  crew  upon  the  sea. 

Then,  wading  forth  into  the  sea,  they  gathered  up  the  strug- 
gling men  and  ate  them  in  fierce  delight.  Only  one  vessel 
was  saved  from  all  the  fleet;  and  with  the  few  men  who  had 
escaped,  Ulysses  set  forth  again,  sad  at  heart,  upon  the  cruel 

20  sea. 

For  two  days  now  the  one  lone  vessel  drifted ;  for  so  stricken 
with  grief  were  the  crew,  and  so  sick  with  terror  were  they, 
that  none  had  courage  even  to  guide  the  vessel. 

At  last,  another  island  rose  out  of  the  sea;  and  as  they  drew 

25  near  they  saw,  rising  beyond  the  trees,  the  friendly  smoke, 
as  from  an  altar  or  from  the  hearth  of  some  home-loving 
people. 

Drawing  near,  Ulysses,  unable  to  trust  his  companions, 
disheartened  as  they  were,  himself  set  forth  to  find  food  for 

30  them  in  the  unknow^n  island. 

It  was  a  beautiful  island,  and  game  was  plenty.  Then  when 
all  had  feasted  and  had  refreshed  themselves,  a  little  band  of 
men  set  forth  to  explore,  leaving  behind  Ulysses  and  fully  half 
the  crew. 

35      The  farther  inland  they  went,  the  more  bea-^itiful  did  they 


300  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

find  the  island;  and  at  last,  rising  out  of  the  dense  forest,  the 
wonderful  palace  of  Circe  appeared  before  them. 

In  the  distance  they  heard  her  wonderful  voice,  singing 
softly  the  strange,  sweet  song  no  mortal  could  imitate;   the 
5  song  which  no  mortal  could  resist. 

Forward  the  men  pressed,  each  eager  first  to  reach  the 
palace.  The  great  gates  flew  open  upon  their  golden  hinges 
and  the  beautiful  Circe  came  forth  to  welcome  them. 

Gracious  and  most  kind  did  she  appear  in  the  eyes  of  her 
lo  guests.  One  only  of  them  all  was  wise  and  wary.  He, 
Eurylochus,  remembering  the  dire  disasters  that  had  already 
befallen  his  comrades  in  this  unfortunate  voyage,  held  back; 
and  when  the  guests  were  led  to  the  banquet  hall,  unnoticed 
he  hid  himself  among  the  pillars  of  the  portico. 
IS  Then  he  watched  his  comrades,  and  saw  them  'eagerly  take 
their  places  at  the  bountifully  spread  table. 

"Eat,"  said  Circe;  and  they  fell  upon  the  food  like  swine, 
so  hungry  were  they  from  long  fastings. 

"Drink,"  said  Circe;  and  the  wine  flowed  freely. 
20     Then  over  Circe's  face  there  came  an  evil  glitter;  and  rais- 
ing her  sceptre,  she  said,  "Now,  swine  that  you  are,  go!     Go, 
every  man  of  you,  to  the  sty  wherein  such  as  you  should 
dwell.     Live  there  in  the  form  of  those  gross  animals  like 
which  you  arel" 
25      The  heart  of  Eurylochus  stood  still  with  horror;  for  scarcely 
had  the  words  been  said,  when  every  man,  grovelling  on  the 
floor  of  the  great  hall,  grunted  and  squealed   and   snouted 
like  the  very  brutes  into  which  they  were  transformed;   and 
away  they  sped  to  the  great  sty  outside  to  dwell  among  others 
30  of  their  kind. 

Then  Eurylochus,  speeding  on  the  wings  of  the  wind,  fled 
back  to  the  ship,  and  poured  into  the  ears  of  Ulysses  the  tale 
of  woe. 

"Our  comrades  must  be  rescued,"  was  the  answer  Ulysses 
35  made;  and  at  once  he  set  forth  to  the  palace. 


ADVENTURES   OF   ULYSSES  30? 

"Whither  goest  thou?"  said  a  voice  close  by. 

"It  is  you,  O  Hermes!"  said  Ulysses;  "and  well  do  you 
know  whither  I  go  and  why." 

"  But  you  are  powerless  before  the  power  of  Circe,"  Hermes 
5  replied. 

"That  may  be;  still  would  I  try  to  rescue  my  companions, 
even  at  the  risk  of  my  own  life." 

"The  ever  brave  Ulysses  I"  said  Hermes;  "and  I  will  help. 
Take  this  flower;  eat  it;  then  go  fearless  into  the  presence  of 
10  the  cruel  Circe;  for  the  flower  has  magic  power." 

Then  Ulysses  did  as  he  was  bid,  and  entered  most  bravely 
the  golden  palace. 

Like  his  comrades  before  him,  Ulysses  ate  and  drank  as 
Circe  commanded  him;  but  when,  raising  her  glittering 
15  sceptre,  she  opened  her  lips  to  speak  the  fateful  words,  Ulysses 
raised  his  glittering  sword,  and  looked  defiance  into  the  eyes 
of  the  witch  goddess.  Nor  did  any  change  come  over  him 
when  her  words  were  finished. 

Then  Circe,  knowing  that  the  man  before  her  must  be  some 
20  hero,  protected  by  the  gods  by  a  spell  more  potent  than  her 
own,  dropped  her  sceptje  and  fell,  a  suppliant,  at  the  feet  of 
her  noble  guest. 

Then  did  Ulysses  demand  of  her  the  freedom  of  his  com- 
rades, and  the  safe  return  of  every  one  to  the  vessel  awaiting 
25  them  outside  the  rocky  shores. 

All  this  Circe  fulfilled  and  in  due  time  again  the  little  ship 
was  making  its  way  to  Ithaca,  the  home  so  far  away,  and 
towards  which  the  crew  looked  with  sad  hearts  and  weary 
eyes. 
30  Merrily  over  the  waves  the  vessel  glided  for  many  a  day; 
for  Circe  had  promised  a  prosperous  wind,  and  already  hope 
had  begun  to  rise  in  the  hearts  of  the  crew,  and  now  and  then 
the  oars  lay  idle. 

But  one  evening,  when  all  was  still,  the  quick  ear  of  Ulysses 
35  caught  the  sound  of  distant  music. 


302  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

*'Hark!"  said  Ulysses;  and  every  oar  was  hushed.  Softer, 
sweeter,  came  the  music,  nearer  and  yet  nearer. 

"We  are  nearing  the  flowery  meadows  of  the  Sirens,"  said 
Ulysses. 
5      "This  is  charmed  music,  which  no  man  can  resist,  let  him 
try  as  he  will. 

"We  must  then  shut  it  out  from  our  ears;  for  it  must  not  be 

that  we  shall  fall  entranced  by  the  Siren  music  when  our 

journey  is  already  so  near  its  end." 

lo      And  speaking  thus,  Ulysses  warmed  and  molded  a  great 

mass  of  wax,  and  calling  each  man  to  him,  stuffed  his  ears,  that 

no  sound  might  reach  him  as  he  passed  the  charmed  meadows. 

"As  for  myself,"  said  Ulysses,  "I  would  know  what  the 

music  is  like.     So  bind  me,  good  comrades,  to  the  mast.     Bind 

15  me  strongly  that  there  may  be  no  chance  of  escape  for  me, 

though  I  struggle  and  beg  you  to  release  me  as  the  charm 

enthralls  me." 

So  Ulysses  was  bound,  and  the  men,  with  ears  sealed,  took 
their  places  at  the  oars. 
20      Nearer  and  nearer  came  the  music.     "More  wisdom  for 
thee,  O  wise  Ulysses!     Come,  come,  O  come,  Ulysses!"  sang 
the  Sirens;  and  tJlysses,  charmed,  strained  and  pulled  at  the 
ropes,  and  begged  the  men  to  loose  him  and  to  turn  the  vessel 
towards  the  shore. 
25      But  the  men  only  bound  him  the  closer,  and  plied  the  oars 
with  greater  force  and  speed ;  till  at  last  quiet  again  came  into 
the  soul  of  Ulysses,  and  the  oarsmen,  seeing  that  the  danger 
was  past,  unsealed  their  ears,  and  unbound  their  leader  from 
the  mast.     So  did  they  pass  one  danger  without  harm  and 
30  without  delay. 

But  another  danger  lay  in  wait  for  the  little  crew;  for  it  was 
decreed  that  none  but  Ulysses  himself  should  ever  reach  again 
the  shores  of  Ithaca. 

Suddenly  there  rose  a  terrible  sound  of  thunder  and  rumble 
35  and  roar.    The  vessel  rocked  and  rolled,  and  the  foam  and 


ADVENTURES   OF   ULYSSES  303 

clouds  of  spray  blinded  the  eyes  of  the  oarsmen,  so  that  they 
knew  not  which  way  to  guide  the.  ship. 

The  hearts  of  the  oarsmen  were  cold  with  fear;   and  even 
Ulysses  had  little  courage  to  urge  the  men  onward  into  the 
5  waters  that  lay  between  Scylla  and  Charybdis. 

But  the  men,  desperate,  plied  the  oars;  and  Ulysses,  stand- 
ing high  upon  the  prow,  sword  in  hand,  watched  with  strained 
and  eager  eye,  that  he  might  catch  the  first  glimpse  of  Scylla's 
terrible  heads,  and  strike  them  ere  she  caught  the  shining  of 
10  the  blade  of  steel. 

But  Scylla  pushed  not  forth  her  heads;  and  Ulysses,  seeing 
the  whirlpool  into  which  the  ship  was  drifting,  cried  ''To 
the  other  sidel     To  the  other  side!      Closer  to  the  higher 
*  rockl" 

15  Then  the  vessel  turnal,  the  whirlpool  was  passed,  and  the 
vessel  for  one  second  lay  beneath  the  terrible  cave  in  which  the 
monster  Scylla  dwelt. 

"Now,  quick,  quickl  Row  with  all  your  might!"  Ulysses 
cried;  but,  alas,  no  oarsmen  could  row  with  a  speed  that 
20  could  escape  the  dreadful  Scylla;  and  before  even  his  sword 
could  be  raised,  Ulysses  saw  six  of  his  comrades  seized  by  the 
six  terrible  arms,  lifted  from  their  benches,  and  drawn  into 
the  black  cavern  above. 

''On!  on!"  Ulysses  shouted;  and  straining  every  nerve, 
25  the  oarsmen  pushed  the  vessel  through  the  strait,  and  soon 
heard  as  from  afar  the  roar  and  rush  of  the  waters,  mingled 
w^ith  the  bellowing  of  Charybdis  and  the  screams  of  Scylla, 
angry  both,  that  even  one  of  the  crew  should  have  escaped 
their  power. 
30  Cold,  and  hungry,  and  weary,  the  crew  now  demanded  that 
they  be  allowed  to  land  upon  the  sunny  island  that  lay  now 
before  them,  and  on  the  shores  of  which  fat  cattle  grazed. 

Ulysses  groaned  aloud ;  for  well  did  he  know  the  clanger  that 
lay  in  w^ait  for  them  upon  this  sunny  island. 
35      But  the  men  were  desperate  and  heeded  not  his  warning. 


304  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

In  the  night,  while  Ulysses  slept,  they  left  the  vessel,  reached 
the  island,  slew  the  cattle,  and  sat  down  to  merry  feasting. 

Now  these  were  sacred  cattle,  loved  and  tended  by  the 
goddess-shepherd,  Lampetia;  and  when  in  the  morning  she 
5  saw  the  skin  and  bones  of  her  slain  cattle  lying  upon  the  shore, 
and  knew  they  had  been  slain  by  the  crew  of  Ulysses,  she 
called  aloud  to  Zeus  and  said,  "  See,  O  Zeus!  what  these  wicked 
ones  have  done.  Nor  will  I  rest,  nor  shall  there  be  fruits  or 
grains;  the  sun  shall  not  shine,  and  there  shall  be  desolation 

lo  in  all  the  earth,  unless  thy  vengeance  fall  full  speedily  upon 
these  Greeks." 

Then  up  rose  great  Zeus,  and  said,  "This  complaint,  O 
Lampetia,  is  most  just,  and  for  their  impious  act  these  Greeks 
shall  suffer.     No  more  shall  they  look  upon  the  light  of  day. 

15  I  will,  when  night  hangs  dark  upon  the  sea,  send  down  my 
bright,  swift  thunderbolts;  they  shall  cleave  their  boat  in 
twain,  and  the  wicked  ones  shall  sink  into  the  depths  of  the 
sea." 

And  so  it  was  that  in  the  dense  darkness  suddenly  a  terrible 

20  storm  arose;  the  heavens  grew  red,  and  a  great  bolt,  straight 
from  the  blackness  overhead,  smote  the  vessel,  tearing  it  from 
stem  to  stern,  and  carrying  away  both  masts  and  men,  as 
straws  upon  the  restless  waves. 

The  groans  of  the  drowning  men  filled  the  air;  but  in  the 

25  blackness  no  help  could  come  from  one  to  the  other ;  only  in 
the  flashes  of  the  lurid  lightning  could  they  see  each  other's 
wild  faces,  now  and  then  struggling  above  the  cold  black 
waters. 

Seizing  a  floating  mast,  Ulysses  clung  to  it  through  the  long 

30  black  night.  To  this,  when  the  morning  came,  he  bound  the 
broken  helm,  making  thus  for  himself  a  raft;  and  on  this 
raft,  though  so  frail,  he  floated  and  drifted  on  the  tide. 

On,  on,  for  nine  long  days  and  nights  Ulysses  floated,  and 
terrible  were  the  sufferings  he  endured  from  hunger,  from 

35  thirst,  from  cold,  and  from  the  terrors  of  the  sea. 


ADVENTURES   OF  ULYSSES  305 

But  there  came  a  time,  even  as  had  been  decreed,  when  the 
hero  landed  upon  a  friendly  isle,  where  food  and  care  were 
given  him,  and  after  days  of  rest,  a  brave  crew  of  Phaeacian 
youths  set  out  with  him  upon  the  sea,  and  rowed  him  safe  to 
the  shores  of  his  own  loved  Ithaca. 

5  A  deep  sleep  lay  upon  Ulysses,  and  scarcely  was  he  con- 
scious of  the  voyage.  Then,  when  the  keel  grated  upon  the 
shores  of  Ithaca,  most  carefully  the  youths  lifted  him,  still 
sleeping,  from  out  the  vessel,  placed  him  upon  the  soft  hill- 
slope  beneath  the  trees,  then  quietly  rowed  away. 

10  For  a  long  time  Ulysses  slept.  Then,  rising,  he  thanked 
the  gods  that  at  last  his  trials  were  at  an  end  and  that  once 
more  his  feet  might  press  the  soil  of  his  native  land. 

"Ulysses  will  come,"  Penelope  had  always  said,  even  when 
all  had  given  him  up  as  dead.     "I  know  Ulysses  will  yet 

15  come." 

And  the  boy,  Telemachus,  now  a  fine  straight  youth,  had 
been  taught  to  say,  "  Some  day  my  father  will  come." 

And  now,  indeed,  the  brave  hero  had  come;  and  great  was 
the  rejoicing  throughout  the  city.     Great  festivals  were  held 

20  in  honor  of  him,  and  sacrifices  were  offered  to  the  gods. 

But  after  these  were  over,  content  and  happy,  Ulysses, 
returning  to  his  family  and  his  acres,  spent  the  remaining 
years  of  his  life  in  peace,  ever  grateful  to  the  gods  who,  through 
great  danger,  had  thus  brought  him  safely  home  at  last. 


NOTES 

293:  6  Ulysses.  Odysseus,  the  king  of  Ithaca,  according  to  Greek 
legend.     His  adventures  are  related  in  Homer's  Odyssey. 

293:  25  Penelope.  Wife  of  Ulysses,  and  famous  as  a  model  of  house- 
hold virtues. 

294:  16  Lotus-eaters.  People  who  ate  the  fruit  of  the  lotus-tree. 
The  taste  of  the  fruit  was  supposed  to  take  away  from  those  who  ate 
it  all  desire  to  return  home. 


3o6  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

295:  28  Polyphemus.  The  chief  of  the  Cyclops,  a  race  of  one-eyed 
giants.  He  was  the  son  of  Poseidon,  the  sea  god,  and  when  Ulysses 
put  out  the  giant's  eye,  Poseidon  was  very  angry,  and  in  revenge 
caused  Ulysses  to  wander  for  ten  years  before  he  finally  reached  home. 

298: 6     Adverse.     Contrary;     opposite. 

300:  14    Portico.     A  porch  at  the  entrance  of  a  building. 

301:  21     Suppliant.     One  who  pleads  in  an  entreating  way. 

301:  27     Ithaca.     One  of  the  islands  in  the  Ionian  Sea. 
302:  3     Sirens.     These  were  sea  nymphs  whose  singing  so  charmed 
listeners,  that  they  forgot  everything,  and  were  finally  destroyed  by  the 
Sirens. 

302:17     Enthralls.     Enslaves;   holds  in  bondage. 

303:  5  Scylla  and  Charyhdis.  These  were  sea -monsters,  opposite 
one  another,  in  the  Strait  of  Messina.  Scylla  was  represented  as  bark- 
ing like  a  dog,  and  having  twelve  feet  and  six  heads,  with  six  pairs  of 
arms.  The  name  was  afterward  given  to  a  rock  in  the  Strait  of  Messina. 
Charybdis  was  represented  as  a  maiden  above,  and  ending  below  in  the 
body  of  a  fish,  surrounded  by  hideous  dogs.  Three  times  a  day  she 
sucked  in  the  sea,  discharging  it  again  in  a  terrible  whirlpool.  The 
name  was  afterward  given  to  a  whirlpool  in  the  Strait  of  Messina, 
opposite  the  rock  of  Scylla. 

304:  4  Lampetia.  Daughter  of  Apollo.  With  her  sister,  Phaetusa, 
she  guarded  her  father's  fourteen  flocks  —  seven  herds  of  oxen  and 
seven  flocks  of  sheep,  each  containing  fifty  head. 

305 :  3    Phaacian,     Relating  to  Phaeacia,  a  mythical  land. 


VOCABULARY  OF  MYTHOLOGICAL  NAMES 

yEolus  (e'  o-lus).     The  god  of  Menelaus  (men-e-la'us).     King 

the  winds.  of  Sparta. 
Aphrodite    (af-ro-di'    te).     The 

goddess  of  love.  Nereids    (ne're-idz).     Nymphs 

Apollo   (a-p61'   lo).     The   sun-  of  the  sea. 

god. 

Athene  (a-the'  ne).     The  god-  (Enone   (e-no'  ne).     The  wife 

dess  of  wisdom.  of  Paris. 

Olympus  (6-lim'  pus).     Mount 

Charybdis  (ka-rib'  dis).     A  sea-  Olympus,  home  of  the  gods. 

monster. 

Circe   (ser'   se).     An    enchant-  Peleus    (pe'    le-us).     King    of 

ress.  Thessaly. 

Cyclops  (si'  klops).    A  race  of  Penelope  (pe-n6l'  o-pe).     Wife 

one-eyed  giants.  of  Ulysses. 

Polyphemus    (p61-i-fe'    mus). 

Eris  (e'  ris).     The  goddess  of  The  chief  of  the  Cyclops. 

strife  and  discord.  Poseidon  (po-sl'  don).     The  god 

of  the  sea. 
Hebe     (he'    be).      The     cup- 
bearer of  the  gods.  Scylla  (sil'  la).     A  sea-monster. 
Hera  (he'  ra).     Queen  of  the 

gods.  Telemachus  (te-16m'  a-kus). 

Hermes  (her'  mes).     The  mes-  Son  of  Ulysses  and  Penelope. 

senger  of  the  gods.  Thetis  (the'  tis).     The  chief  of 

the  Nereids,  sea-nymphs,  and 

Iris  (i'  ris).     The  goddess  of  the  wife  of  Peleus. 

rainbow. 

Ithaca  (ith'  a-ka).     One  of  the  Ulysses    (u-lis'    sez).     King    of 

Ionian  Islands,  Greece.  Ithaca. 

Lampetia    (lam-pet'   i-a).     A       Zeus   (zus).     The  king  of  the 
shepherdess.  gods. 

307 


KING   BRUCE  AND  THE  SPIDER 


ELIZA  COOK 

Eliza  Cook  was  bom  in  London,  England,  in  1818.  She  wrote  for 
various  English  periodicals,  -and  published  several  volumes.  Among 
her  single  poems  are  ''The  Old  Arm-Chair,"  "The  Old  Farm  Gate," 
and  "Old  Songs."  She  died  at  Thornton  Hill,  Wimbledon,  England, 
September  23,  1899. 

Robert  Bruce,  Scotland's  great  hero,  was  bom  in  1274  and  died  in 
1329.  In  order  to  be  King  of  Scotland,  it  was  necessary  for  him  to 
fight  many  battles,  for  there  were  several  others  who  also  wished  to  be 
king.  While  this  fighting  was  going  on,  "The  Bruce,"  as  he  was 
sometimes  called,  was  often  obliged  to  hide  while  fleeing  from  his 
enemies.  Once,  while  hiding  in  an  old  hut,  he  lay  upon  a  bundle  of 
straw,  feeling  very  much  discouraged,  for  he  began  to  fear  that  he  would 
never  succeed  in  his  purpose.  Just  at  this  time,  it  is  said,  occurred  the 
incident  of  the  spider,  the  story  of  which  is  told  in  the  poem. 

King  Bruce  of  Scotland  flung  himself  down 

In  a  lonely  mood  to  think; 
'T  is  true  he  was  monarch,  and  wore  a  crown, 

But  his  heart  was  beginning  to  sink. 

For  he  had  been  trying  to  do  a  great  deed, 

To  make  his  people  glad ; 
He  had  tried  and  tried,  but  could  not  succeed, 

And  so  he  became  quite  sad. 


He  flung  himself  down  in  low  despair, 
As  grieved  as  man  could  be, 

And  after  a  while,  as  he  pondered  there, 
''I'll  give  it  up,"  cried  he. 
308 


KING   BRUCE  AND   THE   SPIDER  309 

Now  just  at  the  moment  a  spider  dropped 

With  its  silken  cobweb  clue, 
And  the  king  in  the  midst  of  his  thinking  stopped 

To  see  what  the  spider  would  do. 

'Twas  a  long  way  up  to  the  ceiling  dome, 

And  it  hung  by  a  rope  so  fine, 
That  how  it  would  get  to  its  cobweb  home, 

King  Bruce  could  not  divine. 

It  soon  began  to  cling  and  crawl 

Straight  up  with  strong  endeavor; 
But  down  it  came  with  a  slipping  sprawl, 

As  near  to  the  ground  as  ever. 

Up,  up  it  ran,  nor  a  second  did  stay, 

To  make  the  least  complaint. 
Till  it  fell  still  lower;  and  there  it  lay 

A  little  dizzy  and  faint. 

Its  head  grew  steady  —  again  it  went, 

And  traveled  a  half -yard  higher; 
'Twas  a  delicate  thread  it  had  to  tread. 

And  a  road  where  its  feet  would  tire. 

Again  it  fell,  and  swung  below; 

But  up  it  quickly  mounted. 
Till  up  and  down,  now  fast,  now  slow, 

Nine  brave  attempts  were  counted. 

Sure,"  said  the  king,  ''that  foolish  thing 

Will  strive  no  more  to  climb, 
When  it  toils  so  'hard  to  reach  and  cling, 
And  tumbles  every  time." 


3IO  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

But  up  the  insect  went  once  more; 

Ah  me,  'tis  an  anxious  minute; 
He's  only  a  foot  from  his  cobweb  door; 

O,  say,  will  he  lose  or  win  it  ? 

+5  Steadily,  steadily,  inch  by  inch. 

Higher  and  higher  he  got. 
And  a  bold  little  run  at  the  very  last  pinch  • 
Put  him  into  the  wished -for  spot. 

"Bravo,  bravo!"  the  king  cried  out; 
50  *'A11  honor  to  those  who  try. 

The  spider  up  there  defied  despair; 
He  conquered,  and  why  should  not  I?" 

And  Bruce  of  Scotland  braced  his  mind, 
And  gossips  tell  the  tale, 
,55  That  he  tried  once  more  as  he  tried  before, 

And  that  time  he  did  not  fail. 

Pay  goodly  heed,  all  you  who  read, 

And  beware  of  saying,  "I  can't"; 
'Tis  a  cowarHly  word,  and  apt  to  lead 
60  To  idleness,  folly,  and  want. 


KING   CANUTE 
WILLIAM  MAKEPEACE  THACKERAY 

William  Makepeace  Thackeray  was  bom  in  Calcutta,  India,  July  i8, 
1811.  When  five  years  old  he  was  taken  to  England,  where  he  was 
placed  at  school.  Later,  he  entered  Trinity  College,  Cambridge.  At 
the  age  of  thirty  he  decided  to  take  up  literature  as  a  profession,  and  in 
1 85 1,  "Vanity  Fair,"  the  novel  which  made  him  famous,  was  pubUshed. 
The  year  following  he  lectured  in  America  on  "The  Four  Georges." 
He  died  at  London,  December  24,  1863. 

King  Canute  was  one  day  by  the  seashore  near  Southampton;  and 
when  some  of  the  men  who  were  with  him  spake  of  his  power  and  great- 
ness, he  bade  a  chair  to  be  placed  close  to  the  water's  edge.  Then  said 
Canute,  "O  Sea,.  I  am  thy  lord;  my  ships  sail  over  thee  whither  I  will, 
and  this  land  against  which  thou  dashest  is  mine;  stay  then  thy  waves, 
and  dare  not  wet  the  feet  of  thy  lord  and  master."  But  the  waves  came 
on,  for  the  tide  was  now  coming  in;  and  they  came  round  the  chair  on 
which  Canute  was  sitting,  and  they  wetted  his  feet  and  his  clothes. 
Then  spake  King  Canute  to  the  men  that  were  with  him:  "Ye  see  now 
how  weak  is  the  power  of  kings  and  of  all  men,  for  ye  see  that  the  waves 
v/ill  not  hearken  to  my  voice.  Honor  then  God  only,  and  serve  Him. 
for  Him  do  all  things  obey." — Old  Chronicle. 

King  Canute  was  weary-hearted ;  he  had  reigned  for  years  a 
a  score  — 

Battling,  struggling,  pushing,  fighting,  killing  much,  and 
robbing  more; 

And  he  thought  upon  his  actions,  walking  by  the  wild  sea- 
shore. 

'Twixt  the  Chancellor  and  Bishop  walked  the  King  with  steps 
sedate, 
5  Chamberlains    and    grooms    came   after,    silver- sticks   and 
gold-sticks  great, 
Chaplains,   aides-de-camp,  and   pages  —  all  the  officers  of 
state. 

311 


312  STANDARD   CLASSIC  .READER 

Sliding  after  like  his  shadow,  pausing  when  he  chose  to 
pause, 

If  a  frown  his  face  contracted,  straight  the  courtiers  dropped 
their  jaws ; 

If  to  laugh  the  King  was  minded,  out  they  burst  in  loud  hee- 
haws. 


lo  But  that  day  a  something  vexed  him,  that  was  clear  to  old  and 
young; 

Thrice  his  Grace  had  yawned  at  table  when  his  favorite  glee- 
men  sung; 

Once  the  Queen  would  have  consoled  him,  but  he  bade  her 
hold  her  tongue. 

"Something  ails  my  gracious  master,"  cried  the  Keeper  of 

the  Seal. 
"Sure,  my  lord,  it  is  the  lampreys  served  at  dinner,  or  the 

veal?" 
15  "Pshaw I"    exclaimed    the   angry   monarch;    "Keeper,    'tis 

not  that  I  feel. 

"'Tis  the  hearty  and  not  the  dinner,  fool,  that  doth  my  rest 

impair. 
Can   a   king  be  great  as  I  am,  prithee,  and  yet  know  no 

care? 
Oh,  I'm  sick  and  tired  and  weary."     Some  one  cried,  "The 

King's  arm-chair!" 

Then  toward  the  lackeys  turning,  quick  my  lord  the  Keeper 
nodded, 
20  Straight  the  King's  great  chair  was  brought  him,  by  two 
footmen  able-bodied; 
Languidly  he  sank  into  it  —  it  was  comfortably  wadded. 


KING   CANUTE  313 

''Leading  on  my  fierce  companions,"  cried  he,  "over  storm 

and  brine, 
I  have  fought  and  I  have  conquered !     Where  was  glory  like 

to  mine?" 
Loudly  all  the  courtiers  echoed,   "Where  is  glory  like  to 

thine?" 

25  "What  avail  me  all  my  kingdoms?    Weary  am  I  nov^  and 

old; 
Those  fair  sons  I  have  begotten  long  to  see  me  dead   and 

cold; 
Would    I   v^ere,  and    quiet   buried,   underneath  the    silent 

mold. 

"Oh,  remorse,  the  writhing  serpent!  at  my  bosom  tears  and 

bites; 
Horrid,  horrid  things  I  look  on,  though  I  put  out  all  the 

lights; 
30  Ghosts  of  ghastly  recollections  troop  about  my  bed  at  nights. 

"Cities    burning,    convents    blazing,    red    with    sacrilegious 

fires; 
Mothers    weeping,     virgins    screaming,     vainly,     for    their 

slaughtered  sires." 
"Such  a  tender  conscience,"  cries  the  Bishop,  "every  one 

admires." 

"Nay,  I  feel,"  replied  King  Canute,  "that  my  end  is  drawing 

near." 
35  "Don't  say  so,"  exclaimed  the  courtiers   (striving  each  to 

squeeze  a  tear); 
"Sure  your  Grace  is  strong  and  lusty,  and  may  live  this  fifty 

year." 


314  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

**Live  these  fifty  years!"  the  Bishop  roared  with  actions 

made  to  suit. 
**Are  you  mad,  my  good  lord  Keeper,  thus  to  speak  of  King 

Canute ! 
Men  have  lived  a  thousand  vears,  and  sure  his  Majesty  will 

do't. 

40  "Adam,  Enoch,  Lamech,  Cainan,  Mahaleel,  Methuselah, 
Lived  nine  hundred  years  apiece,  and  mayn't  the  King  as 

well  as  they?" 
*' Fervently,"  exclaimed  the  Keeper,  ''fervently  I  trust  he 

may." 

^^He  to  die!"  resumed  the  Bishop;   "he  a  mortal  like  to  us! 
Death  was  not  for  him  intended,  though  communis  omnibus: 
45  Keeper,  you  are  irreligious,  for  to  talk  and  cavil  thus. 

"  With  his  wondrous  skill  in  healing  ne'er  a  doctor  can  com- 
pete. 

Loathsome  lepers,  if  he  touch  them,  start  up  clean  upon  their 
feet ; 

Surely  he  could  raise  the  dead  up,  did  his  Highness  think  it 
meet. 

"Did  not  once  the  Jewish  captain  stay  the  sun  upon  the 

hill, 
50  And,  the  while  he  slew  the  foemen,  bid  the  silver  moon  stand 

still? 
So,  no  doubt,  could  gracious  Canute,  if  it  were  his  sacred 

will." 

"Might  I  stay  the  sun  above  us,  good  Sir  Bishop?"  Canute 

cried ; 
Could  I  bid  the  silver  moon  to  pause  upon  her  heavenly  ride  ? 
If  the  moon  obeys  my  orders,  sure  I  can  command  the  tide. 


KING   CANUTE  315 

55  "Will  the  advancing  waves  obey  me,  Bishop,  if  I  make  the 

sign?" 
Said  the  Bishop,  bowing  lowly,  "Land  and  sea,  my  lord, 

are  thine." 
Canute  turned  toward  the  ocean  —  "Back!"  he  said,  "thou 

foaming  brine. 

"From  the  sacred  shore  I  stand  on,  I  command  thee  to 

retreat ; 
Venture  not,  thou  stormy  rebel,  to  approach  thy  master's 

seat: 
60  Ocean,  be  thou  still!     I  bid  thee  come  not  nearer  to  my  feet !" 

But  the  sullen  ocean  answered  with  a  louder,  deeper  roar. 
And  the  rapid  waves  drew  nearer,  falling,  sounding  on  the 

shore ; 
Back  the  Keeper  and  the  Bishop,  back  the  King  and  courtiers 

bore; 

And  he  sternly  bade  them  never  more  to  kneel  to  human  .clay, 
65  But  alone  to  praise  and  worship  That  which  earth  and  seas 

obey; 
And  his  golden  crown  of  empire  never  wore  he  from  that 

day. 


NOTES 

I     King  Canute.     (Ka  nute/)    A  famous  king  of  England,  Den- 
mark, and  Norway;   born  about  994;   died  1035. 
4    Chancellor.     A  high  officer  of  state. 

4  Sedate.     Quiet;    composed. 

5  Chamberlains.     The  chamberlain  was  the  keeper  of  the  treasure- 
chamber. 

5     Silver-sticks.     Field  officers  of  the  English  life-guards. 
5     Gold-sticks.     Colonels  of  the  life-guards,  whose  duty  it  is  to  attend 
the  sovereign  on  state  occasions.     The  silver-sticks  and  gold -sticks  are 


3i6  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

so  named  from  the  rods  carried  by  these  officers  when  they  are  on 
duty. 

6  Aides-de-camp.  (Aids-de-kong.)  Confidential  officers  whose 
duties  are  to  receive  and  communicate  the  orders  of  a  general  officer, 
act  as  his  secretary,  etc. 

6    Pages.     Boy  attendants  upon  persons  of  rank  or  distinction. 

8    Courtiers.     The  attendants  at  the  court  of  a  sovereign. 

II     Gleemen.     Minstrels  or  musicians;    singers. 

13  Keeper  oj  the  Seal.  An  officer  of  state  who  has  charge  of  the 
great  seal. 

14  Lampreys.     Fish,  resembling  eels  in  form. 
17    Prithee.     I  pray  thee. 

19  Lackeys.     Attending  servants;    footmen. 

31  Sacrilegious.     Profaning  or  desecrating  sacred  things. 

40  Adam,  Enoch,  etc.     Bible  characters. 

43  Communis  omnibus.     (Latin.)     Common  to  all. 

45  Cavil.     To  find  fault  without  any  good  reason  for  so  doing. 

49  Jewish  captain.     Joshua.     See  Joshua  x,  12. 


PART  II    DRAMATIC  READING 
THESEUS 

GRACED.  McCarthy 

(From  "Plays  from  the  Wonder  Book ") 

This  is  a  Greek  myth  retold  by  Hawthorne.  Theseus  was  the  son  of 
i^geus  and  /Ethra,  whom  ^Egeus  married  in  Troezene.  But  he  was 
forced  to  leave  her  and  go  back  to  be  king  in  his  own  land  of  Athens. 
Before  he  left  he  put  the  sword  and  sandals  under  the  rock,  saying  when 
his  son  could  lift  the  rock  he  should  take  them  and  seek  him  out.  This 
Theseus  did,  ridding  the  land  of  many  monsters  as  he  approached 
Athens,  over  which  he  finally  became  king  after  his  father's  death. 

Scene  I 
Theseus  and  Mthra 

Mlhra    Theseus,  my  son,  go  into  that  thicket,  lift  the  great 

flat  stone  which  lies  at  the  foot  of  the  plane- tree  and  bring  me 

what  lies  underneath. 

Theseus     Mother,  I  have  tried  every  year,  for  three  years 

5  past,  to  lift  the  stone,  but  I  have  never  lifted  it  nor  do  I  think 

that  any  man  could  in  all  Troezene. 

jEthra  The  gods  wait  long;  but  they  are  just  at  last. 
Perhaps  the  day  has  come  when  you  are  the  strongest  man 
that  lives  in  all  Troezene. 
lo  Theseus  What  is  the  meaning  of  that  stone  and  what  lies 
underneath  it  ?  For  many  years,  mother,  you  have  seen  that 
I  have  spent  all  my  days  in  wrestling  and  boxing  and  hurling, 
in  training  wild  horses  and  hunting  the  boar  and  bull  and 
coursing  goats  and  deer  among  the  rocks;  till  upon  all  the 
15  mountains  there  is  no  hunter  so  swift  as  Theseus.  Surely  the 
gods  are  with  me,  but  I  haven't  lifted  the  stone. 

317 


3i8  STANDARD    CLASSIC   READER 

Mthra    Try  the  stone  again,  and,  Theseus, .  lift  the  stone 
this  day,  or  never  know  who  you  are. 

Theseus  {tugging  at  stone)     If  I  break  my  heart  in  my 
body,  it  shall  up  {lijts  stone).    See,  mother,  I  have  lifted  it 
5  and  rolled  it  over. 

Mthra    What  do  you  find? 

Theseus    A  sword  of  bronze  with  hilt  of  glittering  gold, 
and  by  it  a  pair  of  golden  sandals. 

Mthra    Hide  them  in  your  bosom,  Theseus,  my  son,  and 
lo  come  with  me  where  we  can  look  down  upon  the  sea.     {They 
go  to  the  outside  wall.)     Do  you  see  this  land  at  our  feet  ? 

Theseus    Yes,  this  is  Troezene,  where  I  was  born  and 
bred. 

Mthra    It  is  but  a  little  land,  barren  and  rocky,  and  looks 
15  towards  the  bleak  northeast.     Do  you  see  that  land  beyond  ? 
Theseus    Yes,  that  is  Attica,  where  the  Athenian  people 
dwell. 

Mthra    That  is  a  fair  land  and  large,  Theseus,  my  son; 

and  it  looks  toward  the  sunny  South ;  the  land  of  olives  and 

20  honey,  the  joy  of  gods  and  men.     For  the  gods  have  girdled 

•  it  with  mountains,  whose  veins  are  of  pure  silver  and  their 

bones  of  marble  white  as  snow;  and  there  the  hills  are  sweet 

with  thyme  and   basil,  and  the  meadows  with  violet  and 

asphodel,  and  the  nightingales  sing  all  day  in  the  thickets  by 

25  the   side  "of    flowing   streams.     What   would   you   do,   son 

Theseus,  if  you  were  king  of  such  a  land? 

Theseus     If  I  were  king  of  such  a  land,  I  would  rule  it 
wisely  and  well  in  wisdom  and  in  might,  that  when  I  died  all 
men  might  weep  over  my  tomb,  and  cry:    ''Alas,  for  the 
30  shepherd  of  his  people!" 

Mthra    Take,  then,  the  sword  and  the  sandals,  and  go  to 

^geus.  King  of  Athens,  who  lives  on  Pallas's  hill;   and  say 

to  him,  "The  stone  is  lifted,  but  whose  is  the  pledge  beneath 

it?"    Then  show  him  the  sword  and  the  sandals,  and  take 

35  what  the  gods  shall  send. 


THESEUS  319 

Theseus  (weeping)     Shall  I  leave  you,  O  my  mother? 
jEthra    Weep  not  for  me.     That  which  is  fated  must  be; 
and  grief  is  easy  to  those  who  do  naught  but  grieve.     Full  of 
sorrow  was  my  youth,  and  full  of  sorrow  my  womanhood. 

5  Full  of  sorrow  was  my  youth  for  Bellerophon,  the  slayer  of  the 
Chimaera,  whom  my  father  drove  away  by  treason ;  and  full 
of  sorrow  my  womanhood  for  thy  treacherous  father  and  for 
thee;  and  full  of  sorrow  my  old  age  will  be,  for  I  see  my  fate 
in  dreams,  when  the  sons  of  the  Swan  shall  carry  me  captive, 

10  till  I  sail  across  the  seas  a  slave,  the  handmaid  of  the  pest  of 
Greece.  Yet  shall  I  be  avenged,  when  the  golden-haired 
heroes  sail  against  Troy  and  sack  the  palaces  of  Ilium;  then 
my  son  shall  set  me  free  from  thraldom,  and  I  shall  hear  the 
tale  of  Theseus's  fame.     Yet  beyond  that  I  see  new  sorrows; 

15  but  I  can  bear  them  as  I  have  borne  the  past. 

Scene  II 
Theseus  and  the  Pallantids 

Pallantids  Hello,  tall  stranger  at  the  door,  what  is  your 
will  to-day  ? 

Theseus    I  am  come  hither  to  ask  for  hospitality. 

Pallantids  Then  take  it,  and  welcome.  You  look  like 
20  a  hero  and  a  bold  warrior,  and  we  like  such  to  drink  with  us. 

Theseus  I  ask  no  hospitality  of  you ;  I  ask  it  of  i^geus  the 
King,  the  master  of  this  house. 

Pallantids    Hey-day!    we  are  all  masters  here. 

Theseus  Then  I  am  master  as  much  as  the  rest  of  you. 
25  {He  strides  in  and  looks  around.) 

Pallantids  This  is  a  forward  fellow ;  he  ought  to  be  thrust 
out  of  the  door.  His  shoulders  are  broad ;  will  no  one  rise 
and  put  him  out  ? 

Theseus  {to  servant)  Go  tell  King  ^geus,  your  master, 
30  that  Theseus^  of  Troezene  is  here,  and  asks  to  be  his  guest 
awhile.     {Servant  departs.) 


320  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

{Enter  King  Mgeus) 

Mgeus  Where  is  this  Theseus  ?  Is  this  the  hero  who  has 
cleared  the  country  from  many  monsters? 

Theseus    I  have  delivered  the  King's  realm  from  many 

monsters;  therefore  I  am  come  to  ask  a  reward  of  the  kind. 

5      Mgeus    It  is  little  that  I  can  give  you,  noble  lad,  and 

nothing  that  is  worthy  of  you ;  for  if  the  tales  I  hear  be  true, 

surely  you  are  no  mortal  man,  or  at  least  no  mortal's  son. 

Theseus    All  I  ask  is  to  eat  and  drink  at  your  table. 

Mgeus  That  I  can  give  you,  if  at  least  I  am  master  of  my 
lo  own  hall.  Put  a  seat  for  Theseus  and  set  before  him  the 
best  of  the  feast. 

{Enter  Medea,  the  dark  witch  woman) 

Medea  How  ^geus  turned  red  and  pale  when  the  lad 
said  he  came  from  Troezene,  how  his  heart  was  open  to  him. 
All  the  sons  of  Pallas  look  like  a  pack  of  curs.     This  youth 

15  will  be  master  here;  perhaps  he  is  nearer  to  ^geus  already 
than  mere  fancy.  At  least  the  Pallantids  will  have  no 
chance  by  the  side  of  such  as  he.  {Handing  Theseus  a  glass 
of  wine.)  Hail  to  the  hero,  the  conqueror,  the  unconquered, 
the  destroyer  of  all  evil  things!     Drink,  hero,  of  my  charmed 

20  cup,  which  gives  rest  after  every  toil,  which  heals  all  wounds, 
and  pours  new  life  into  the  veins.  Drink  of  my  cup,  for  in  it 
sparkles  the  wine  of  the  East,  and  Nepenthe,  the  comfort 
of  Immortals. 

Theseus    The  wine  is  rich  and  fragrant  and  the  wine 

25  bearer  is  fair  as  the  Immortals;  but  let  her  pledge  me  first 
herself  in  the  cup,  that  the  wine  may  be  the  sweeter  from  her 
lips. 

Medea  {turning  pale  and  stammering)  Forgive  me,  fair 
hero;  but  I  am  ill,  and  dare  drink  no  wine. 

30  Theseus  Thou  shalt  pledge  me  in  that  cup  or  die.  {Lifting 
up  his  brazen  club.)  {Medea  throws  cup  on  ground  and  dashes 
out.) 


THESEUS  321 

yEgeus  What  hast  thou  done  ?  See  how  the  stone  bubbles 
and  crumbles  and  hisses  under  the  fierce  venom  of  that 
draught. 

Theseus     I  have  rid  the  land  of  an  enchantment.     Now  I 
5  will  rid  it  of  one  more.     (Showing  sword  and  sandals.)     The 
stone  is  hfted,  but  whose  is  the  pledge  beneath  it? 

Mgeus  {turning  to  the  people)  My  son,  my  son!  Behold 
my  son,  my  people  —  a  better  man  than  his  father  was  be- 
fore him. 
10  Pallantids  Shall  we  make  room  for  an  upstart,  a  pretender, 
who  comes  from  we  know  not  where  ?  If  he  be  one,  we  are 
more  than  one. 

(Theseus  drawing    his   sword    and    driving   them    before 
him.)     Go  in  peace,  if  you  will,  my  cousins;    but   if  not, 
IS  your  blood  be  on  your  own  heads.     (Going  back  to  Mgeus.) 
Why  do  you  weep  and  turn  away  your  face  ? 

Mgeus  You  will  know,  my  son.  I  hear  the  Herald  at  the 
door. 

(Enter  Herald) 

Herald  Oh,  people  and  King  of  Athens,  where  is  your 
20  yearly  tribute  ?     (Sound  of  great  lamentation  from  without.) 

Theseus  And  who  are  you,  dog-faced,  who  dare  demand 
tribute  here?  If  I  did  not  reverence  your  Herald's  staff,  I 
would  brain  you  with  this  club. 

Herald    Fair  youth,  I  am  not  dog-faced  or  shameless; 

25  but  I  do  my  master's  bidding,  Minos,  the  King  of  hundred- 

citied  Crete,  the  wisest  of  all  kings  on  earth.     And  you  must 

be  surely  a  stranger  here,  or  you  would  know  why  I  come, 

and  that  I  come  by  right. 

Theseus  I  am  a  stranger  here.  Tell  me,  then,  why  you 
30  come. 

Herald  To  fetch  the  tribute  which  King  ^Egeus  promised 
to  Minos,  and  confirmed  his  promise  with  an  oath,  for  Minos 
conquered  this  land  when  he  came  hither  with  a  great  fleet  of 


322  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

ships,  and  raged  about  the  murder  of  his  son.  For  his  son 
Androgeos  came  hither  to  the  games  and  overcame  all  the 
Greeks  in  the  sports,  so  that  the  people  honored  him  as  a 
hero,  but  when  ^Egeus  saw  his  valor  he  envied  him,  plotted 

5  against  his  Hfe,  and  slew  him  basely.  So  Minos  came  hither 
and  avenged  him,  and  would  not  depart  till  this  land  had 
promised  him  tribute,  seven  youths  and  seven  maidens  every 
year,  who  go  with  me  in  a  black-sailed  ship,  till  they  come  to 
hundred-citied  Crete. 

lo  Theseus  Were  thou  not  a  Herald.  I  would  kill  thee  for 
saying  such  things.     Father,  tell  me  the  truth. 

Mgeus  Blood  was  shed  in  the  land  unjustly,  and  by  blood 
it  is  avenged.  Break  not  my  heart  by  questions;  it  is  enough 
to  endure  in  silence.     {Theseus  groans,) 

15  Theseus  I  will  go  myself  with  these,  youths  and  maidens, 
and  kill  Minos  upon  his  royal  throne. 

Mgeus  You  shall  not  go,  my  son,  the  light  of  my  old 
age,  to  whom  alone  I  look  to  rule  this  people  after  I  am 
dead  and  gone.     You  shall  not  go,  to  die  horribly,  as  those 

20  youths  and  maidens  die;  for  Minos  thrusts  them  into  a 
labyrinth  from  which  no  one  can  escape,  entangled  in  its 
winding  ways,  before  they  meet  the  Minotaur,  the  monster, 
who  feeds  upon  the  flesh  of  men.  There  he  devours  them 
horribly,  and  they  never  see  this  land  again. 

25  Theseus  Therefore  all  the  more  I  will  go  with  them,  and 
slay  the  accursed  beast.  Have  I  not  slain  all  evil-doers 
and  monsters  that  I  might  free  this  land  ?  And  this  Mino- 
taur shall  go  the  road  which  they  have  gone,  and  Minos 
himself,  if  he  dares  stay  me. 

3P  Mgeus  But  how  would  you  slay  him,  my  son?  For  you 
must  leave  your  club  and  your  armor  behind  and  be  cast 
to  the  monster,  defenseless  and  naked  like  the  rest. 

Theseus  Are  there  no  stones  in  that  labyrinth;  and  have 
I  not  fists  and  teeth  ? 

35      Mgeus  {clinging  to  him)     If  you  will  go,   my  son,  go! 


THESEUS  323 

Promise  me  but  this,  ^f  you  return  in  peace,  though  that  may 
hardly  be,  take  down  the  black  sail  of  the  ship,  for  I  shall 
watch  for  it  all  day  upon  the  cliffs,  and  hoist  instead  a  white 
sail,  that  I  may  know  from  afar  off  that  you  are  safe. 
5  Theseus  {going  to  the  head)  Here  is  a  youth  who  needs  no 
lot.     I  myself  will  be  one  of  the  seven. 

Herald     Fair  youth,  know  you  whither  you  are  going? 
Theseus    I  know.     Let  us  go  down  to  the  black-sailed 
ship. 


Scene  III 
Theseus  aud  Minos 

10  Theseus  A  boon,  O  Minos!  Let  me  be  thrown  first  to  the 
beast.  For  I  came  hither  for  that  very  purpose,  of  my  own 
will,  and  not  by  lot. 

Minos    Who  art  thou,  then,  brave  youth? 
Theseus     I   am  the  son  of  him  whom  of  all  men   thou 
15  hatest  most,  iEgeus,  King  of  Athens,  and  I  am  come  here 
to  end  this  matter. 

Minos     The  lad  means  to  atone  by  his  own  death  for  his 
father's  sin.     Go  back  in  peace,  my  son.     It  is  a  pity  that  one 
so  brave  should  die. 
20      Theseus    I  have  sworn  that  I  will  not  go  back  till  I  have 
seen  the  monster  face  to  face. 

Minos  (jrowning)     Then  thou  shalt  see  him!     Take  the 
[     madman  away. 

{Enter  Ariadne) 

Ariadne    Shame   that   such   a   youth   should   die!     Flee 
25  down  to  your  ship  at  once,  for  I  have  bribed  the  guards  be- 
fore the  door.     Flee,  you,  and  all  your  friends,  and  go  back 
in  peace  to  Greece;  and  take  me,  take  me  with  you!    I  dare 


324  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

not  stay  after  you  are  gone ;  for  my  father  will  kill  me  miser- 
ably if  he  knows  what  I  have  done. 

Theseus  I  cannot  go  home  in  peace,  till  I  have  seen  and 
slain  this  Minotaur,  and  avenged  the  deaths  of  the  youths 
5  and  maidens  and  put  an  end  to  the  terrors  of  my  land. 

Ariadne    And  you  will  kill  the  Minotaur?     How,  then? 

Theseus  I  know  not,  nor  do  I  care;  but  he  must  be 
strong  if  he  be  too  strong  for  me. 

Ariadne  But  when  you  have  killed  him,  how  will  you  find 
lo  your  way  out  of  the  labyrinth  ? 

Theseus  I  know  not,  neither  do  I  care;  but  it  must  be  a 
strange  road  if  I  do  not  find  it  out  before  I  have  eaten  up  the 
monster's  carcass. 

Ariadne  Fair  youth,  you  are  too  bold ;  but  I  can  help  you, 
15  weak  as  I  am.  I  will  give  you  a  sword,  and  with  that,  per- 
haps, you  may  slay  the  beast;  and  a  clue  of  thread,  and  by 
that,  perhaps,  you  may  find  your  way  out  again.  Only 
promise  me,  that  if  you  escape  safe,  you  will  take  me  home 
with  you  to  Greece;  for  my  father  will  surely  kill  me  if  he 
20  knows  what  I  have  done. 

Theseus  {laughing  and  hiding  the  sword  and  the  clue  in 
his  bosom)     Am  I  not  safe  enough  now? 

(Enter  Guard) 

Guard  You  are  ordered  to  the  labyrinth.  (Leads  Theseus 
away.) 

Scene  IV 

Theseus  and  Ariadne 

25      Theseus  It  is  done. 

Ariadne  Is  the  monster  dead? 

.  Theseus  He  is  dead. 

Ariadne  Tell  me  of  your  adventure.     Arc  you  unhurt  ? 

Theseus  I  went  down   into   that  doleful    gulf,   through 


THESEUS  325 

winding  paths  among  the  rocks,  under  caverns  and  arches, 
and  over  heaps  of  fallen  stone.  I  turned  on  the  left  hand 
and  on  the  right  till  my  head  was  dizzy!  But  all  the  while 
I  held  my  clue,  for  when  I  went  in  I  had  fastened  it  to  a 

5  stone,  and  left  it  to  unroll  out  of  my  hand,  as  I  went  along, 
and  at  last  I  met  the  Minotaur  in  a  narrow  chasm  between 
black  cliffs.  When  I  saw  him  I  stepped  aside  and  stopped 
awhile,  for  I  had  never  seen  so  strange  a  beast.  His  body 
was  a  man's;   but  his  head  was  the  head  of  a  bull,  and  his 

10  teeth  were  the  teeth  of  a  lion,  and  with  them  he  tore  his 
prey.  When  he  saw  me  he  put  down  his  head  and  rushed 
at  me.  I  stepped  nimbly  aside  and  as  he  passed  by,  cut  him 
in  the  knee.  Ere  he  could  turn  in  the  narrow  path  I  followed 
him,  and  stabbed  him  again  and  again  from  behind,  till  the 

15  monster  fled  bellowing  wildly;  for  he  had  never  before  felt 
a  wound.  I  followed  him  at  full  speed,  holding  the  clue  of 
thread  in  my  left  hand ;  through  cavern  after  cavern  we  went, 
the  hunter  and  the  hunted,  while  the  hills  bellowed  to  the 
monster's  bellow.     At    last    I    came  up  with  him,  caught 

20  him  by  the  horns  and  drove  the  keen  sword  through  his 
throat.  Then  I  turned  and  came  back  limping  and  weary, 
feeling  my  way  down  by  the  clue  of  thread  till  I  came  to 
the  mouth  of  that  doleful  place,  and  saw  you  waiting  for  me, 
Ariadne. 

25  Ariadne  So  it  is  done.  Let  us  be  quick,  there  is  no  time 
to  lose;  we  will  set  all  the  prisoners  free,  for  the  guard  sleeps. 
Then  we  will  hasten  to  the  ship  together,  hoist  the  sail  and 
escape  to  Naxos. 

NOTES 

317: 1  Mthra.  Daughter  of  Pittheus,  King  of  Troezene.  She  was 
carried  away  by  Castor  and  Pollux  when  they  recovered  Helen,  whom 
Theseus  had  stolen. 

317:  2  Plane-tree.  The  oriental  plane-tree,  an  ornamental  tree  of 
European  parks,  is  found  growing  wild  from  Persia  to  Italy.  The  native 
American  plane-trees  are  better  known  as  sycamore  or  buttonwood  trees. 


326  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

317:  6  Troezene.  The  capital  of  Troezenia  in  Argolis,  a  country  of 
Peloponnesus,  the  peninsula  forming  the  south  of  Greece  proper, 
and  connected  with  northern  Greece  by  the  Isthmus  of  Corinth. 

317:  14     Coursing.     Hunting. 

318:  16  Attica.  A  country  of  Greece,  containing  Athens,  the 
capital. 

318:  23  Thym  and  basil.  These  are  plants  having  a  spicy,  fragrant 
smell,  used  for  seasoning  soups,  sauces,  etc. 

318:  24  Asphodel.  A  plant  of  the  lily  kind.  In  Greek  mythology 
the  asphodel  was  the  plant  of  the  dead. 

319:  5  Bellerophon.  In  Greek  mythology  the  son  of  King  Glaucus 
of  Corinth.  He  was  famous  as  the  rider  of  Pegasus,  the  winged  horse, 
and  also  as  the  slayer  of  the  Chimaera. 

319:  6  ChimcBra.  This  was  a  monster  in  Greek  mythology,  having 
three  heads,  a  lion's,  a  goat's  and  a  dragon's,  and  continually  breathing 
out  fire.  The  foreparts  of  its  body  were  those  of  a  lion,  the  middle  a 
goat's,  and  the  hinder  a  dragon's. 

319:  9  Sons  of  the  Swan.  Castor  and  Pollux,  twin  sons  of  Zeus  and 
Leda.  According  to  the  Greek  legend  their  father  appeared  to  their 
mother  in  the  form  of  a  swan. 

319:  10     Pest  of  Greece.     Helen  of  Troy. 

319: 12     Ilium.     The  Troy  of  Greek  legend. 

319:  13     Thraldom.     Slavery;   servitude. 

319: 16  Pallantids.  Sons  of  Pallas,  brother  of  yEgeus,  whose  heirs 
they  were. 

320:  12  Medea.  The  wife  of  ^geus,  famed  for  her  witchcraft.  She 
feared  the  influence  of  Theseus  should  he  be  king. 

320:  22  Nepenthe.  A  magic  drink,  which  was  supposed  to  make 
persons  forget  their  sorrows  and  misfortunes. 

322:  21  Labyrinth.  A  number  of  passages  running  into  one  another 
from  different  directions,  in  which  it  is  difflcult  or  impossible  to  find  the 
way  from  point  to  point,  or  to  find  the  way  out,  without  a  clue  or  guide 
A  maze. 

322:22  Minotaur.  This  monster  was  supposed  to  have  been  half 
man  and  half  bull. 

323:  2  Black  sail  of  the  ship.  This  Theseus  forgot  to  do,  however, 
and  JEgeus  threw  himself  from  the  cliff  where  he  was  watching,  and  was 
drowned. 

324:  16     Clue  of  thread.     A  ball  or  skein  of  thread. 

325 :  28  Naxos.  One  of  the  Cyclades,  a  cluster  of  islands  in  the 
iEgean  Sea. 


STORY  OF  CIRCE 
GRACE  D.  McCarthy 

(From  ** Plays  from  the  Wonder  Book") 

This  is  one  of  the  many  wonderful  adventures  of  Ulysses,  king  of 
Ithaca,  on  his  return  from  the  Siege  of  Troy,  to  his  home.  They  are  all 
related  in  the  ''Odyssey"  of  Homer,  which  everyone  will  want  to  read 
some  time. 

Scene  I 
Ulysses  and  Eurylochus 

Ulysses     My  friend,  let  us  consult  together.     We  do  not 

know  where  or  what  this  place  may  be.     There  is  a  necessity 

that  someone  should  go  ashore  to  explore  the  country.     We 

must   procure  water  and   provisions.     Our  stock   of   both 

5  is  well-nigh  spent. 

Eurylochus     Our  plight  is  indeed  pitiable,  but  my  heart 

fails  me  when  I  call  to  mind  the  shocking  fate  of  our  fellows 

whom  the  Laestrigonians  have  eaten  and  those  whom  the 

foul   Cyclop,  Polyphemus,  has   crushed    between  his  jaws. 

lo  The  thought  of  them  moves  me  to  tears. 

Ulysses  But  tears  never  yet  supplied  any  man's  want. 
Eurylochus,  I  place  you  in  command  of  twenty-two  of  my 
men  while  I  will  take  the  others.  I  will  take  my  men  and  go 
ashore. 
15  Eurylochus  No,  Ulysses,  let  me  share  this  danger.  At 
least  let  us  cast  lots. 

Ulysses    I   agree.     Shall   we   draw   the   lots   from    your 
brazen  helmet?     (They  draw  lots.) 

Eurylochus    See  —  I  have  won. 

327 


328  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Ulysses    Yes,  you  have  won.     Go,  take  your  half  of  the 
men. 

Scene  II 

Ulysses  and  Eurylochus 

Ulysses    What;    Eurylochus,    back    again?    Where    are 
your  companions? 
5     Eurylochus    Vanished. 

Ulysses    Vanished !    Tell  me  how  that  may  be! 

Eurylochus    Illustrious  chief!    We  went  until  we  reached 

a  palace  of  bright  stone  set  in  a  vale.     Someone  within  was 

busily  weaving   an   ample  web    and   sang  sweetly  as   she 

lo  wrought.     Polites,  bolder  than,  the  rest,  called  aloud,  and  she 

came  forth  and  opened  the  shining  doors,  and  bade  us  enter. 

Ulysses    Well,  what  then  ? 

Eurylochus    My  comrades  entered.     I  alone,  suspecting 
guile,  remained  without.     Through  the  door  I  saw  her  place 
15  them  all  in  chairs  of  state  and  set  before  them  meal  and  honey 
and  Smyrna  wine,  but  mixed  with  baneful  drugs  of  powerful 
enchantments,  for  when  they  had  eaten  of  these  and  drunk 
.    of  her  cup,  she  touched  them  with  her  shining  rod  and  straight 
they  were  transformed   into   swine,  having  the   bodies   of 
20  swine,  the  bristles  and   snout  and  grunting  noise   of   that 
animal.    Having  changed  them  she  shut  them  up  in  her 
sty  with  many  more,  and  gave  them  swine's  food,  .beech- 
nuts, acorns  and  chestnuts  to  eat. 

Ulysses    I  suspect  some  foul  witchcraft.     Give  me  my 

25  sword  and  bow.     Eurylochus,  instantly  lead  me  to  the  place. 

Eurylochus  (kneeling)     Take  me  not  thither.    Force  me 

not  to  go.     Expose  not  your  safety  and  the  safety  of  us  all  to 

certain  destruction.     You  will  not  return  nor  deliver  one  of 

our  lost  friends.     Let  us  betake  ourselves  to  instant  flight 

30  and  so  escape. 

Ulysses    Eurylochus,  remain  here.     Eat  and  drink  in  the 


STORY  OF  CIRCE  329 

ship  in  safety  while  I  go  alone  on  this  adventure.     Necessity, 
from  whose  laws  is  no  appeal,  compels  me. 


Scene  III 

Mercury  and  Ulysses 

Mercury  Whither  wouldst  thou  go,  O  thou  most  erring 
of  the  sons  of  men  ?     Knowest  thou  not  that  this  is  the  house 

S  of  the  great  Circe,  where  she  keeps  thy  friends  in  a  loathsome 
sty,  changed  from  the  fair  forms  of  men  into  the  detestable 
and  ugly  shapes  of  swine  ?  Art  thou  prepared  to  share  their 
fate,  from  which  nothing  can  ransom  thee  ? 

Ulysses    Neither  your  words  nor  your  coming  from  heaven 

10  can  stop  me.  Compassion  for  the  misfortune  of  my  friends 
has  rendered  me  careless  of  danger. 

Mercury  Since  thou  must  go  let  me  make  thee  safe  against 
the  danger.  Take  this  flower  of  the  herb  moly,  which  is 
proof  against  enchantments.      Take  this  in  thy  hand  and 

15  with  it  boldly  enter  her  gates.  When  she  shall  strike  thee 
with  her  rod,  thinking  to  change  thee,  as  she  has  changed 
thy  friends,  boldly  rush  in  upon  her  with  thy  sword,  and 
extort  from  her  the  dreadful  oath  of  the  gods  that  she  will  use 
no  enchantments  against  thee;  then  force  her  to  restore  thy 

20  abused  companions. 

Scene  IV 

Interior  of  Palace  of  Circe.     Circe  weaving 

{A  shout  is  heard  without) 

Circe  Come  in,  fair  stranger.  Partake  of  our  humble 
cheer.  Let  me  give  you  a  bowl  of  wine.  (Circe  hands  bowl 
to  Ulysses.     Ulysses  drinks,) 


330  STANDARD   CLASSIC    READER 

Circe  (striking  Ulysses  with  charming  rod)  ''To  your  sty! 
Out  swine!     Mingle  with  your  companions. 

Ulysses  {draws  sword  and  thrusts  at  Circe)  So!  Your 
charms  have  failed. 
5  Circe  Who  or  what  manner  of  man  art  thou?  Never 
drank  any  man  before  thee  of  this  cup  but  he  repented 
it  in  some  brute's  form.  Thy  shape  remains  unaltered  as 
thy  mind.  Thou  canst  be  none  other  than  Ulysses,  renowned 
above  all  the  world  for  wisdom,  whom  the  Fates  have  long 
lo  since  decreed  that  I  must  obey.     Deal  gently  with  me. 

Ulysses  Why  should  I  deal  gently  with  you  ?  Your  meat 
is  spiced  with  poison  and  your  wine  with  death.  You  must 
swear  to  me  that  you  will  never  attempt  against  me  the 
treasons  practiced  upon  my  friends. 
IS  Circe  I  swear  by  the  Styx,  the  great  oath  of  the  gods, 
that  I  meditate  no  injury  to  you. 

Ulysses  Make  your  atonement  complete.  Let  me  be- 
hold my  dear  companions  free. 

Circe     Come,  Ulysses,  with   me.     I  will   set  your  com- 
20  panions  free. 

(Exit) 

NOTES 

327: 12  Lcestrigonians.  A  race  of  man-eating  giants  who  destroyed 
the  ships  of  Ulysses  by  throwing  huge  rocks  on  them  from  a  mountain - 
top. 

328:    7    Illustrious.     Great;  glorious. 

328:  10    Wrought.     Worked. 

328:  16    Smyrna.     The  chief  seaport  of  Asiatic  Turkey. 

328:  16    Baneful.     Poisonous;    destructive. 

328:  18    Straight.     At  once. 

330: 15  Styx.  The  river  Styx  in  Greek  mythology  was  the  river  that 
bounded  the  "underworld,"  the  home  of  the  dead,  and  by  it  the  gods 
swore  their  most  solemn  vows. 


THE  MIRACULOUS   PITCHER 
GRACE  D.  McCarthy 

(From  "Plays  from  the  Wonder  Book") 

This  is  a  story  of  Greek  and  Roman  mythology  retold  by  Hawthorne. 
The  god  who  gave  the  old  couple  the  pitcher  also  decreed  that  they 
should  die  at  the  same  moment,  and  be  changed  into  trees;  Philemon 
into  an  oak  and  Baucis  into  a  linden.     This  was  their  wish. 


Scene  I 
Baucis  and  Philemon  seated  at  their  cottage  door 

Philemon    Ah,  wife,  I  fear  some  poor  traveler  is  seeking 

hospitality  among  our  neighbors  yonder,  and  instead  of  giving 

him  food  and  lodging,  they  have  set  their  dogs  at  him,  as  their 

custom  is.     I  hear  the  rude  shouts  of  children,  and  the  fierce 

5  barking  of  dogs  in  the  village.     It  grows  louder  and  louder. 

Baucis  Well-a-day!  I  do  wish  our  neighbors  felt  a  little 
more  kindness  for  their  fellow-creatures.  And  only  think  of 
bringing  up  children  in  this  naughty  way  and  patting  them 
on  the  head  when  they  fling  stones  at  strangers, 
lo  Philemon  Those  children  will  never  come  to  any  good. 
To  tell  the  truth,  wife,  I  should  not  wonder  if  some  terrible 
thing  were  to  happen  to  all  the  people  in  the  village  unless 
they  mend  their  manners.  But  as  for  you  and  me,  so  long  as 
Providence  affords  us  a  crust  of  bread,  let  us  be  ready  to  give 
15  half  to  any  poor,  homeless  stranger  that  may  come  along  and 
eat  it. 

Baucis    That's  right,  husband,  so  we  will.     I  would  rather 
go  without  my  dinner  any  day  than  refuse  a  slice  of  brown 


332  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

bread,  a  cup  of  new  milk  and  a  spoonful  of  honey  to  any  weary 
traveler  who  might  pause  before  our  door.  Such  guests 
have  a  sort  of  holiness  and  they  ought  therefore  to  be  treated 
better  and  more  bountifully  than  we  treat  our  own  selve§. 
5  Philemon  I  never  heard  the  dogs  so  loud. 
,  Baucis  Nor  the  children  so  rude.  See,  there  are  the 
travelers  approaching  on  foot.  Close  behind  them  are  those 
fierce  dogs,  snarling  at  their  very  heels,  and  a  crowd  of  chil- 
dren, jeering  and  flinging  stones  at  the  strangers. 

lo  Philemon  Both  of  these  travelers  are  very  humbly  clad 
and  look  as  if  they  might  not  have  money  enough  in  their 
pockets  to  pay  for  a  night's  lodging.  I  am  afraid  that  this 
is  the  reason  that  the  neighbors  have  allowed  their  children 
and  dogs  to  treat  them  so  rudely.     Come,  wife,  let  us  go  to 

15  meet  these  poor  people.  No  doubt  they  feel  almost  too 
heavy-hearted  to  climb  the  hill. 

Baucis  Go  you  and  meet  them,  while  I  make  haste  within 
doors  and  see  whether  we  can  get  them  anything  for  supper. 
A  comfortable  bowl  of  bread  and  milk  would  do  wonders 

20  towards  raising  their  spirits. 

{Baucis  enters  the  house,  Philemon  goes  to  meet  the  strangers, 
who  enter.) 

Philemon  •  Welcome,  strangers !     Welcome ! 

Quicksilver  Thank  you !  This  is  quite  a  difi^erent  greeting 
from  that  we  met  with  yonder  in  the  village.  Pray,  why  do 
you  live  in  such  a  bad  neighborhood  ? 
25  Philemon  Ah!  Providence  put  me  here,  I  hope,  among 
other  reasons,  in  order  that  I  may  make  you  what  amends 
I  can  for  the  inhospitality  of  my  neighbors. 

Quicksilver    Well  said,  old  father!    And,  if  the  truth  must 

be  told,  my  companion  and  myself  need  some  amends;  those 

30  children  (the  little  rascals!)  have  bespattered  us  finely  with 

their  mud  balls;    and  one  of  the  curs  has  torn   my  cloak, 


THE  MIRACULOUS  PITCHER  33^ 

which  was  ragged  enough  already.     But  I  took  him  across 

the  muz/ie  with  my  staff;   and  I  think  you  may  have  heard 

him  yelp,  even  thus  far  off. 

Philemon     I  am  glad  to  see  you  in  such  good  spirits  and 
5  that  you  are  not  disheartened  by  this  rough  treatment  at  the 

end  of  your  day's  journey.     (Aside)     He  is  dressed  in  rather 

an  odd  way,  with  a  sort  of  cap  on  his  head,  the  brim  of  it  sticks 

out  over  both  ears.     Though  it  is  a  warm  evening  he  wears 

his  cloak  wrapped  closely  about  him,  perhaps  because  his 
10  undergarments  are  shabby.     His  shoes  are  singular,  but  it 

is  now  growing  dusk  and  perhaps  I  cannot  see.     (Addressing 

the  travelers)     You  seem  to  be  wonderfully  light  and  active. 

I  used  to  be  light-footed  in  my  youth.     But  I  always  found 

my  feet  grew  heavier  towards  nightfall. 
15      Quicksilver     There  is  nothing  like  a  good   staff  to  help 

one    along,   and  I   happen   to   have  an   excellent  one,   as 

you  see. 

Philemon    A  curious  piece  of  work,  sure  enough !     A  staff 

with  wings !    And  two  snakes  carved  in  the  wood  so  naturally 
20  that  I  could  almost  believe  them  alive,  wriggling  and  twisting. 

It  would  be  an  excellent  kind  of  stick  for  a  little  boy  to  ride 

astride  of  1     (They  approach  the  cottage  door.) 

Philemon    Friends,  sit  down  and  rest  yourselves  here  on 

this  bench.     My  good  wife  Baucis  has  gone  to  see  what  you 
25  can  have  for  supper.     We  are  poor  folk,  but  you  shall  be 

welcorne  to  whatever  we  have  in  the  cupboard. 

Jupiter    Was   there  not  a   lake,  in   very   ancient   times, 

covering  the  spot  where  now  stands  yonder  village? 

Philemon    Not  in  my  day,  friend,  and  yet  I  am  an  old 
30  man,  as  you  see.     There  were  always  the  fields  and  meadows, 

just  as  they  are  now,  and  the  old  trees,  and  the  little  stream 

murmuring  through  the  midst  of  the  valley.     My  father,  nor 

his  father  before  him,  ever  saw  it  otherwise,  so  far  as  I  know; 

and  doubtless  it  will  still  be  the  same  when  old  Philemon  shall 
35  be  gone  and  forgotten! 


334  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Jupiter  That  is  more  than  can  be  safely  foretold.  Since 
the  inhabitants  of  yonder  village  have  forgotten  the  affections 
and  sympathies  of  their  nature,  it  were  better  that  the  lake 
should  be  rippling  over  their  dwellings  again! 
5  Philemon  Pray,  my  young  friend,  what  may  I  call  your 
name? 

Quicksilver    Why,  I  am  very  nimble,  as  you  see.     So,  if 
you  call  me  Quicksilver,  the  name  will  fit  tolerably  well. 

Philemon     Quicksilver?     Quicksilver?     It  is  a  very  odd 
lo  name !    And  your  companion  there  ?    Has  he  as  strange  a 
one? 

Quicksilver    You  must  ask  the  thunder  to  tell  it   you! 
No  other  voice  is  loud  enough. 

Jupiter  Have  you  always  lived  here,  Philemon? 
15  Philemon  I  have  lived  here  all  my  life,  have  never  been 
twenty  miles  away.  With  my  dear  wife  Baucis  I  have 
dwelt  in  this  cottage  from  my  youth  up,  earning  our  bread 
by  honest  toil,  poor  but  always  contented.  We  have  always 
loved  one  another,  and  have  but  one  fear,  that  we  may  not 
20  die. as  we  have  lived,  together. 

Jupiter    You  are  a  good  old  man  and  you  have  a  good  old 
wife  to  be  your  helpmeet.     It  is  fit  that  your  wish  be  granted. 

{Baucis  comes  lo  the  door) 

Baucis    Had  we  known  you  were  coming,  my  good  man 
and  myself  would  have  gone  without  a  morsel,  rather  than 

25  you  should  lack  a  better  supper.     But  I  took  the  most  part  of 

to-day's  milk  to  make  cheese;   and  our  last  loaf  is  already 

half  eaten.    Ah,  me!    I  never  feel  the  sorrow  of  being  poor 

save  when  a  poor  traveler  knocks  at  our  door. 

Jupiter    All  will  be  very  well.     Do  not  trouble  yourself, 

30  my  good  dam'e;  an  honest  welcome  to  a  guest  works  miracles 
with  the  fare  and  is  capable  of  turning  the  coarsest  food  to 
nectar  and  ambrosia. 


THE  MIRACULOUS  PITCHER  335 

Baucis  A  welcome  you  shall  have,  and  likewise  a  little 
honey  that  we  happen  to  have  left,  and  a  bunch  of  purple 
grapes  besides. 

Quicksilver  Why,  Mother  Baucis,  it  is  a  feast!  An  ab- 
5  solute  feast !  And  you  shall  see  how  bravely  I  will  play  my 
part  at  it.     I  think  I  never  felt  hungrier  in  my  life. 

Baucis  (aside  to  Philemon)  Mercy  on  us!  If  the  young 
man  has  such  a  terrible  appetite,  I  am  afraid  there  will  not  be 
half  enough  supper! 

(All  go  into  the  cottage) 

SCEN^E    II 

Room  in  house  oj  Philemon 

(Quicksilver  and  J  upiter  seated  at  a  table,  Baucis  standing, 
waits  on  the  table,  while  Philemon  stands  to  one  side.) 

10  Baucis  I  fear  there  is  but  a  scanty  supper  for  two  hungry 
travelers.  Here  is  the  remnant  of  a  brown  loaf,  a  piece  of 
cheese,  and  a  httle  honey- comb.  There  is  a  bunch  of  grapes 
for  each  of  you,  and  with  this  pitcher  of  milk  you  must  make 
out.     (Baucis  pours  a  bowl  of  milk  for  each  guest.)     (Aside.) 

15  Since  the  supper  is  so  exceedingly  small,  I  do  wish  their 
appetites  were  not  quite  so  large.  Why,  at  their  very  first 
sitting  down  they  have  both  emptied  all  the  milk  in  their 
bowls  at  a  draught. 

Quicksilver    A  little  more  milk,  kind  Mother  Baucis,  if 

20  you  please.  The  day  has  been  so  hot  and  I  am  very  much 
athirst. 

Baucis  Now,  my  dear  people,  I  am  so  sorry  and  ashamed ! 
But  the  truth  is,  there  is  hardly  a  drop  more  milk  in  the 
pitcher.     Oh,  husband,  husband !     Why  didn't  we  go  without 

25  our  supper? 


336  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Quicksilver  Why,  it  appears  to  me,  it  really  appears  to 
me,  that  matters  are  not  quite  so  bad  as  you  represent  them. 
Here  is  certainly  more  milk  in  the  pitcher.  {Quicksilver  picks 
up  the  pitcher  and  fills  up  the  howls.) 
5  Baucis  But  I  am  old,  and.  apt  to  be  forgetful.  I  suppose 
I  must  have  made  a  mistake.  At  all  events,  the  pitcher  can- 
not help  being  empty  now,  after  filling  the  bowls  twice  over. 

Quicksilver    What  excellent  milk!     Excuse  me,  my  kind 
hostess,  but  I  must  really  ask  you  for  a  little  more.     {Baucis 
lo  pours  milk.) 

Quicksilver    And  now  a  slice  of  your  brown  loaf,  Mother 
Baucis,  and  a  little  of  that  honey! 

{Baucis  passes  bread  and  honey  and  then  goes  and  talks  to 
Philemon.) 

Baucis     Oh,  Philemon,  what  do  you  think  ?    I  turned  the 
pitcher  upside  down  to  show  that  it  was  empty  and  the  milk 
15  gushed  out  in  such  an  abundant  cascade  that  the  bowl  was 
immediately  filled  to  the  brim  and  the  milk  overflowed  upon 
the  table  and  the  floor.     The  milk  had  a  most  delicious  fra- 
grance and  a  crumb  of  the  bread  which  I  tasted  was  so 
delicious  I  cannot  believe  it  is  my  own  kneading  and  baking. 
20  Yet  what  other  loaf  could  it  be  ?     Did  you  ever  hear  of  the 
like? 

Philemon    No,  I  never  did.    And  I  rather  think,  my  dear 

old  wife,  you  have  been  walking  about  in  a  sort  of  dream. 

If  I  had  poured  out  the  milk,  I  should  have  seen  through  the 

25  business  at  once.     There  happened  to  be  a  little  more  in  the 

pitcher  than  you  thought  —  that  is  all. 

Baucis    Ah,  husband,  say  what  you  will,  these  are  very 
uncommon  people. 

Philemon    Well,  well,  perhaps  they  are.     They  certainly 
30  do  look  as  if  they  had  seen  better  days;   and  I  am  heartily 
glad  to  see  them  making  so  comfortable  a  supper. 


THE  MIRACULOUS  PITCHER  337 

Quicksilver  Very  admirable  grapes  these !  Pray,  my  good, 
host,  where  did  you  gather  them? 

Philemon  From  my  own  vine;  you  may  see  one  of  its 
branches  twisting  across  the  window  yonder.  But  wife  and 
5  I  never  thought  the  grapes  very  fine  ones. 

Quicksilver  I  never  tasted  better.  Another  cup  of  this 
delicious  milk,  if  you  please,  and  I  shall  then  have  supped 
better  than  a  prince. 

{Philemon  goes  to  table  and  takes  up  pitcher) 

Philemon    The  pitcher   is   empty  —  why,   what   is  this? 

10  A  little  white  fountain  gushes  up  from  the  bottom  of  the 

pitcher.     It  is  full  to  the  brim  with  foaming  and  delicious 

milk.     Who  are  ye,  who  are  ye,  wonder-working  strangers? 

Jupiter    Your  guests,  my  good  Philemon,  and  your  friends. 

Give  me  likewise  a  cup  of  milk;  and  may  your  pitcher  never 

15  be  empty,  for  kind  Baucis  and  yourself  any  more  than  for  the 

needy  wayfarer! 

Baucis    Now  that  our  poor  and  meagre  supper  has  proven 
so  much  better  than  we  hoped,  are  you  ready  to  be  shown  to 
a  place  of  repose? 
20     Philemon  {to   Quicksilver)     How   under   the   sun   did    a 
fountain  of  milk  get  into  that  old  earthen  pitcher  ? 

Quicksilver    That  staff  is  the  whole  mystery  of  the  affair; 

and  if  you  can  make  it  out,  I  will  thank  you  to  let  me  know. 

I  can't  tell  what  to  make  of  my  staff.     It  is  always  playing 

25  such  odd  tricks  as  this;    sometimes   getting  me  a  supper 

and,  quite  as  often,  stealing  it  away  again.     If  I  had  any 

faith  in  such  nonsense,  I  should   say   that   the  stick   was 

bewitched ! 

Jupiter    Come,   let   us  go   with  the  good   Baucis.     We 

30  must  arise  with  the  sun  and  depart. 

[Exit] 


338  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Scene  III 

In  front  oj  the  house  of  Philemon 

(Enter  all) 

Philemon  Ah,  me!  Well-a-day!  If  our  neighbors  only 
knew  what  a  blessed  thing  it  is  to  show  hospitality  to  strangers, 
they  would  tie  up  all  their  dogs  and  never  allow  their  children 
to  fling  another  stone. 
5  Baucis  It  is  a  sin  and  a  shame  for  them  to  behave  so  — 
that  it  is!  And  I  mean  to  go  this  very  day  and  tell  some  of 
them  what  naughty  people  they  are! 

Quicksilver    1  fear  that  you  will  find  none  of  them  at  home. 

Jupiter    When  men  do  not  feel  towards  the  humblest 

lo  stranger  as  if  he  were  a  brother,  they  are  unworthy  to  exist 

on  earth,  which  was  created  as  the  abode  of  a  great  human 

brotherhood. 

Quicksilver    And,  by  the  by,  my  dear  people,  where  is  this 
same  village  that  you  talk  about  ?     On  which  side  of  us  does 
15  it  lie  ?    Methinks  I  do  not  see  it  hereabouts. 

Philemon    Why,  Baucis,  there  is  no  longer  any  village; 

even  the  fertile  vale  in  which  it  lay  has  ceased  to  have  existence. 

In  its  stead,  the  broad  blue  surface  of  a  lake  fills  the  great 

20  basin  of  the  valley  from  brim  to  brim,  as  if  it  had  been  there 

ever  since  the  creation  of  the  world. 

Baucis    Alas!    What  has  become  of  our  poor  neighbors? 

Jupiter    They  exist  no  longer  as  men  and  women.     There 

was  neither  use  nor  beauty  in  such  a  life  as  theirs;  for  they 

25  never  softened  or  sweetened  the  hard  lot  of  mortality  by  the 

exercise  of  kindly  affections  between  man  and  man.     They 

retain  no  image  of  the  better  life  in  their  bosoms;  therefore, 

the  lake,  that  was  of  old,  has  spread  itself  forth  again  to  reflect 

the  sky! 

30     Quicksilver    And  as  for  those  foolish  people,  they  are  all 


THE   MIRACULOUS  PITCHER  339 

transformed  to  fishes.  They  needed  but  little  change,  for 
they  were  already  a  scaly  set  of  rascals  and  the  coldest- 
blooded  beings  in  existence.  So,  kind  Mother  Baucis,  when- 
ever you  or  your  husband  have  an  appetite  for  a  dish  of  broiled 
5  trout,  he  can  throw  in  a  line,  and  pull  out  half  a  dozen  of  your 
old  neighbors! 

Baucis    Ah,  I  would  not  for  the  world  put  one  of  them 
on  the  gridiron! 

Philemon    No,  we  could  never  relish  them! 

10  Jupiter  As  for  you,  good  Philemon,  and  you,  kind  Baucis, 
you,  with  your  scanty  means,  have  mingled  so  much  heartfelt 
hospitality  with  your  entertainment  of  the  homeless  strangers 
that  the  milk  became  an  inexhaustible  fount  of  nectar  and 
the  brown  loaf  and  the  honey  were  ambrosia.     Thus,  the 

15  divinities  have  feasted  at  your  board,  off  the  same  viands  which 
supply  their  banquets  on  Olympus.  You  have  done  well, 
my  dear  friends,  wherefore  request  whatever  favor  you  have 
most  at  heart,  and  it  is  granted. 

Philemon  and  Baucis    Let  us  live  together,  while  we  live, 

20  and  leave  the  world  at  the  same  instant,  when  we  die,  for 
we  have  always  loved  one  another! 


NOTES 

334:  31     Fare.     Food;  entertainment  with  food  provided. 

334:  32  Nectar  and  ambrosia.  Nectar  was  the  wine  of  the  gods, 
while  ambrosia  was  their  food.  The  meaning  of  ''ambrosia"  was 
"immortal." 

337: 16    Wayfarer.    A  traveler,  especially  one  who  travels  on  foot. 

339: 15    Divinities.     The  gods. 

339: 15     Viands.    Food. 


A  CHRISTMAS  CAROL 

LENA  SOUTHARD 

A  Christmas  Carol  is  based  on  Charies  Dickens'  story  of  that  name. 
Scrooge  is  a  miser  who  Hves  all  alone  and  shows  no  love  for  anybody. 
To  him  in  his  sleep  on  Christmas  Eve  come  three  spirits,  the  ghost  of 
his  past  Christmases,  of  his  present  Christmas  and  of  the  Christmas  that 
will  be.  The  first  shows  him  his  young  life;  the  second,  the  misery  he 
has  it  in  his  power  to  help  and  the  joy  he  might  have;  and  the  third 
shows  him  the  lonely  grave,  forlorn  and  unkempt,  in  which  he  will 
lie  unless  he  repents.  This  last  vision  frightens  Old  Scrooge  and  he 
awakes,  a  changed  man,  overjoyed  to  find  it  is  only  Christmas  morning. 

ACT  I 

Scene  I 

Interior  oj  Scrooge's  office.     Two  tables.     Two  chairs.     Fire- 
place.    Coal-box.     Three  maids  dusting  office. 

Jane  (dusting  books  on  table)  Did  you  ever  notice  the 
sign  over  the  door  of  this  office  ? 

Sally  (dusting  chair)     Yes.     But  I  never  noticed  anything 
queer  about  it,  did  you  ? 
5      Jane  (pausing)     It  says  "Scrooge   and    Marley."     Now 
who's  Marley?     I  never  noticed   anyone  about  this  office 
but  Mr.  Scrooge. 

Sally  (sitting  down  to  rest)     Oh,  Marley  was  Scrooge's 
partner.     They  were  partners  for  I  don't  know  how  many 
lo  years.     But  he  died  seven  years  ago  to-night. 

Maria    Scrooge  was  his  sole  administrator,  his  sole  friend, 
and  his  sole  mourner.    And  even  Scrooge  was  not  so  dread- 
fully cut  up  by  the  sad  event  but  that  he  was  an  excellent 
man  of  business  on  the  very  day  of  the  funeral,  and  solem- 
340 


A  CHRISTMAS   CAROL  341 

nized  it  with  an  undoubted  bargin.  Scrooge  never  painted  out 
old  Marley's  name.  The  firm  is  still  known  as  "Scrooge  and 
Marley."  Sometimes  people  new  to  the  business  call 
Scrooge  Scrooge,  and  sometimes  Marley,  but  he  answers  to 
5  both  names;  it's  all  the  same  to  him. 

Sally  {resting  on  broom)  Oh,  but  he's  a  tight-fisted 
hand  at  the  grindstone,  Scrooge!  A  squeezing,  wrenching, 
grasping  old  sinner!  Hard  and  sharp  as  flint;  secret  and 
self-contained  and  solitary  as  an  oyster. 
10  Maria  (scornjully)  The  heaviest  rain,  snow,  hail,  and 
sleet  can  boast  of  the  advantage  over  him  in  only  one  respect. 
They  often  "come  down"  handsomely,  but  Scrooge  never 
does. 

Sally    Nobody  ever  stops  him  on  the  street  to  say,  "My 

15  dear  Scrooge,  how  are  you  ?     When  will  you  come  to  see  me  ?  " 

No  beggars  implore  him  to  bestow  a  trifle,  no  children  ask 

him  what  it  is  o'clock,  no  man  or  woman  ever  once  in  all  his 

his  life  inquired  the  way  to  such  and  such  a  place  of  Scrooge. 

Jane    Even  the  blind  men's  dogs  seem  to  know  him;  for 
20  when  they  see  him  coming,  they  tug  their  masters  into  door- 
ways and  courts;    and  then  wag  their  tails,  as  though  they 
said,  "No    eye    at    all    is    better    than    an  evil    eye,  dark 
master!" 

Sally    What  does  Scrooge  care?     It  is  the  very  thing  he 
25  likes,  to  edge  his  way  along  the  crowded  paths  of  life,  warning 
all  human  sympathy  to  keep  its  distance. 

Jane  (laughing)  They  say  the  boys  come  by  his  office  on 
Christmas  Eve  and  sing  Christmas  carols  through  the  key- 
hole!    (Laughs.)     It  makes  Scrooge  so  angry. 

(Enter  clerk,  draws  chair  up  to  table  and  begins  writing.) 

30  Sally  (shivering)  Oh,  but  this  is  cold,  bitter  weather! 
(Whispers.)  They  say  Scrooge  won't  allow  his  clerk  enough 
coal  to  keep  warm.  Here  comes  Scrooge  now!  Good- 
morning,  Mr.  Scrooge.     (No  answer.     Exit  maids.) 


342  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

{Scrooge  writes  at  table.  Enter  Scrooge^s  nephew^  his 
face  ruddy  and  handsome;  eyes  sparkle.  Nephew  carries 
some  Christmas  packages.) 

Nephew  (joyously)  A  merry  Christmas,  uncle!  God 
save  you! 

Scrooge    Bah!    Humbug! 

Nephew  Christmas  a  humbug,  uncle!  You  don't  mean 
5  that,  I'm  sure. 

Scrooge  I  do.  Merry  Christmas!  What  right  have  you 
to  be  merry?  What  reason  have  you  to  be  merry?  You're 
poor  enough. 

Nephew  Come,  then.  What  right  have  you  to  be  dismal ? 
lo  What  reason  have  you  to  be  morose?     You're  rich  enough. 

Scrooge    Bah!    Humbug! 

Nephew     Don't  be  cross,  uncle. 

Scrooge  What  else  can  I  be  when  I  live  in  such  a  world  of 
fools  as  this?  Merry  Christmas!  Out  upon  Merry  Christ- 
15  mas!  What's  Christmas  time  to  you,  but  a  time  for  paying 
bills  without  money;  a  time  for  finding  yourself  a  year  older 
but  not  an  hour  richer;  a  time  for  balancing  your  books  and 
having  every  item  in  'em  through  a  round  dozen  of  months 
presented  dead  against  you  ?  If  I  could  work  my  will,  every 
20  idiot  who  goes  about  with  "Merry  Christmas"  on  his  lips 
should  be  boiled  with  his  own  pudding  and  buried  with  a 
stake  of  holly  through  his  heart.     He  should! 

Nephew    Uncle ! 

Scrooge  Nephew!  Keep  Christmas  in  your  way,  and  let 
25  me  keep  it  in  mine. 

Nephew    Keep  it?     But  you  don't  keep  it! 

Scrooge  Let  me  leave  it  alone,  then.  Much  good  may  it 
do  you !    Much  good  it  has  ever  done  you ! 

Nephew  There  are  many  things  from  which  I  might  have 
30  derived  good  by  which  I  have  not  profited,  I  dare  say,  Christ- 
mas among  the  rest.     But  I  am  sure  I  have  always  thought 


A  CHRISTMAS  CAROL  343 

of  Christmas  time  —  apart  from  the  veneration  due  its  sacred 

name  and  origin,  if  anything  belonging  to  it  can  be  apart 

from  that  —  as  a  good  time;    a  kind,  forgiving,  charitable, 

pleasant    time;   the    only    time   I   know    of,    in   the   long 

5  calendar  of  the  year,  when  men  and  women  seem  by  one 

t      consent  to  open  their  shut-up  hearts  freely,  and  to  think  of 

people  below  them  as  if  they  really  were  fellow-passengers 

to  the  grave,  and  not  another  race  of  creatures  bound  on 

other  journeys.     And,  therefore,  uncle,  though  it  has  never 

10  put  a  scrap  of  gold  or  silver  in  my  pocket,  I  believe  that  it 

has  done  me  good,  and  will  do  me  good;  and  I  say,  God 

bless  it! 

{Clerk  applauds,  then  pokes  fire  to  cover  confusion.) 

Scrooge  (angrily)     Let  me  hear  another  sound  from  you, 
and  you'll  keep  your  Christmas  by  losing  your  situation. 
15  You're  quite  a  powerful  speaker,  sir.     I  wonder  you  don't  go 
into  Parliament. 

Nephew    Don't  be  angry,  uncle.     Come!     Dine  with  us 
to-morrow. 

Scrooge    I'll  not! 
20     Nephew    But  why?    Why? 

Scrooge    Why  did  you  get  married? 

Nephew    Because  I  fell  in  love. 

Scrooge   (disgusted)     Because    you    fell   in   love!     Good- 
afternoon  ! 
25     Nephew    Nay,  uncle,  but  you  never  came  to  see  me  be- 
fore that  happened.     Why  give  it  as  a  reason  for  not  coming 
now? 

Scrooge    Good-afternoon. 

Nephew    I  want  nothing  of  you ;    I  ask  nothing  of  you ; 
30  why  cannot  we  be  friends  ? 

Scrooge    Good -afternoon. 

Nephew    I  am  sorry,  with  all  my  heart,  to  find  you  so 
resolute.    We  have  never  had  any  quarrel  to  which  I  have 


344  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

been  a  party.  But  I  have  made  the  trial  in  homage  to 
Christmas,  and  I'll  keep  my  Christmas  humor  to  the  last. 
So  a  Merry  Christmas,  uncle! 

Scrooge    Good -afternoon. 
5      Nephew    And  a  Happy  New  Year. 

Scrooge    Good -afternoon. 

Nephew  {to  clerk  as  he  goes  out)     Happy  New  Year] 

Clerk    Same  to  you. 

Scrooge  {to   himselj)     There's   another  fellow,   my   clerk, 
lo  with  fifteen  shillings  a  week,  and  a  wife  and  family,  talking 
about  a  Merry  Christmas.     I'll  retire  to  Bedlam. 

{As  clerk  lets  nephew  out,  he  lets  two  portly  gentlemen  in. 
They  are  pleasant  to  behold  and  standi  hats  offj  books  and  papers 
in  handsy  and  bow  to  Scrooge.) 

Gentleman  {referring   to   list)     Scrooge   and    Marley's,    I 
believe.    Have  I  the  pleasure  of  addressing  Mr.  Scrooge  or 
Mr.  Marley? 
15      Scrooge    Mr.  Marley  has  been  dead  these  seven  years. 
He  died  seven  years  ago  this  very  night. 

Gentleman  We  have  no  doubt  his  liberality  is  well 
represented  by  his  surviving  partner.  {Presenting  his  cre- 
dentials. Scrooge  jrowns,  shakes  head,  and  hands  credentials 
20  back.)  At  this  festive  season  of  the  year,  Mr.  Scrooge,  it  is 
more  than  usually  desirable  that  we  should  make  some  slight 
provision  for  the  poor  and  destitute,  who  suffer  greatly 
at  the  present  time.  Many  thousands  are  in  want  of  common 
necessaries;  hundreds  of  thousands  are  in  want  of  common 
25  corriforts,  sir. 

Scrooge    Are  there  no  prisons? 
Gentleman  {laying  down  pen)     Plenty  of  prisons. 
Scrooge    And  the  Union  work-houses  ?    Are  they  still  in 
operation  ? 
30     Gentleman    They  are.    Still,  I  wish  I  could  say  they  were 
not. 


A  CHRISTMAS   CAROL  345 

Scrooge    The  Treadmill  and  the  Poor  Law  are  in  full 
vigor  then? 

Gentleman     Both  very  busy,  sir. 

Scrooge    Oh!    I  was  afraid  from  what  you  said  at  first, 
5  that  something  had  occurred  to  stop  them  in  their  useful 
course.     I'm  very  glad  to  hear  it. 

Gentleman  Under  the  impression  that  they  scarcely  fur- 
nish Christmas  cheer  of  mind  and  body  to  the  multitude,  a 
few  of  us  are  endeavoring  to  raise  a  fund  to  buy  the  poor 
10  some  meat  and  drink  and  means  of  warmth.  We  choose  this 
time,  because  it  is  a  time  of  all  others,  when  Want  is  keenly 
felt,  and  abundance  rejoices.  What  shall  I  put  you  down 
for? 

Scrooge     Nothing! 
15      Gentleman    You  wish  to  be  anonymous? 

Scrooge    I  wish  to  be  left  alone.     Since  you  ask  me  what  I 

wish,  gentlemen,  that  is  my  answer.     I  don't  make  merry 

myself  at  Christmas  and  I  can't  afford  to  make  idle  people 

merry.     I  help  support  the  establishments  I  have  mentioned; 

20  they  cost  enough ;  and  those  who  are  badly  off  must  go  there. 

Gentleman    Many  can't  go  there;  and  many  would  rather 
die. 

Scrooge    If  they  would  rather  die,  they  had  better  do  it, 
and  decrease  the  surplus  population.     It's  not  my  business. 
25  It's  enough  for  a  man  to  understand  his  own  business,  and  not 
to   interfere  with  other  people's.     Mine  occupies  me   con- 
stantly.    Good -afternoon,  gentlemen. 

{Gentlemen  withdraw.    Boy  sings  a  Christmas  carol  through 
the  keyhole.) 

Boy  {singing)     *^God  bless  you,  merry  gentlemen!     May 
nothing  you  dismay!" 

{Scrooge  seizes  ruler  with  such  energy  oj  action^  that  the 
singer  flees  in  terror.    Clerk  starts  to  get  coal.) 


346  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Scrooge  If  you  get  coal  much  oftener  we'll  have  to  part. 
{Clerk  draws  muffler  closer  around  him  and  warms  hands  over 
candle.)     I  suppose  you'll  want  all  day  to-morrow. 

Clerk    If  quite  convenient,  sir. 
5     Scrooge    It  is  not  convenient  and  it's  not  fair.     If  I  was 
to  stop  half-a-crown  for  it,  you'd  think  yourself  ill-used,  I'll 
be  bound.     {Clerk  smiles  faintly)     And  yet  you  don't  think 
me  ill-used  when  I  pay  a  day's  wages  for  no  work. 

Clerk    It's  only  once  a  year,  sir. 
lo     Scrooge    A  poor  excuse  for  picking  a  man's  pocket  every 
twenty-fifth  of  December!     Be  here  all  the  earlier  the  next 
morning! 

Clerk    I  will,  sir.     {Snuffs  out  candle  and  deparis,) 

{Scrooge  writes  rapidly.  Glances  up,  sees  a  hell  begin  to 
swing,  softly  at  first,  then  rings  out  loudly,  and  so  do  a  number 
of  bells  in  the  building.  Scrooge  sees  this  with  dread  and 
astonishment.  Bells  cease  and  are  followed  by  a  clanking 
sound,  as  if  some  person  were  dragging  chains,  sound  comes 
straight  toward  his  door.) 

Scrooge    It's  humbug  still!    I  won't  believe  it. 

{Stage  darkens  at  first  as  booming  sound  is  heard.  Sound 
ceases.) 

Scrooge  {shaking    with    fear.    Searches    room)     Nobody 

15  under  the  table,  nobody  in  the  drawer,  nobody  in  the  chimney. 

Hum!  {Sees  Marlefs  ghost  —  in  his  pigtail,  usual  waistcoat, 

tights  and  boots.     The  chain  he  drags  is  clasped  about  his 

waist.     Chain    made  —  Scrooge    observes    this    closely  —  of 

cash-box  keys,  padlocks,  ledgers,  deeds,  and  heavy  steel  purses. 

20  Folded  kerchief  bound  about  head  and  chin.)    How!  How! 

{Caustic  and  cold  as  ever)     What  do  you  want  with  me? 

Marlefs  Ghost    Much! 


A  CHRISTMAS  CAROL  347 

Scrooge  {aside)     Marley's  voice,  no  doubt  about  it.     {Aloud) 
Who  are  you  ? 
Markys  Ghost    Ask  me  who  I  was. 

Scrooge  {raising  his  voice)     Who  were  you,  then?     You're 
10  particular  for  a  shade. 

Marley^s  Ghost     In  hfe  I  was  your  partner,  Jacob  Marley. 
You  don't  believe  in  me. 
Scrooge     I  don't  know. 

Marley^ s  Ghost    What  evidence  would  you  have  of  my 
IS  reality  beyond  that  of  your  own  senses  ? 
Scrooge     I  don't  know. 

Marley'' s  Ghost  Why  do  you  doubt  your  senses  ? 
Scrooge  Because  a  little  thing  affects  them.  A  slight  dis- 
order of  the  stomach  makes  them  cheats.  You  may  be  an 
20  undigested  bit  of  beef,  a  blot  of  mustard,  a  crumb  of  cheese, 
a  fragment  of  an  underdone  potato.  There's  more  of  gravy 
than  of  grave  about  you,  whatever  you  are.  {Scrooge  talks 
to  keep  down  his  terror)     You  see  this  toothpick? 

Marley s  Ghost  {staring  straight  in  jront  with  stony  gaze) 
25 1  do. 

Scrooge    You  are  not  looking  at  it. 
Marley s  Ghost    But  I  see  it,  notwithstanding. 
Scrooge    Well!     I  have  but  to  swallow  this,  and  be  for 
the  rest  of  my  days  persecuted  by  a  legion  of  goblins,  all  of 
30  my  own  creation.     Humbug!     I  tell  you  — humbug! 

{Markys  Ghost  raises  jrightjul  cry,  shakes  chain  with 
such  dismal  and  appalling  noise,  that  Scrooge  holds  tight  to 
chair  to  save  himself  from  jailing  in  a  swoon.  Scrooge  falls 
on  knees  J  and  clasps  hands  before  his  face.) 

Scrooge  Mercy !  Dreadful  apparition,  why  do  you  trouble 
me? 

Markys  Ghost  Man  of  worldly  mind!  Do  you  believe 
in  me  or  not  ? 


348  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Scrooge  I  do.  I  must.  But  why  do  spirits  walk  the  earth, 
and  why  do  they  come  to  me  ? 

Marlefs  Ghost  It  is  required  of  every  man  that  the  spirit 
within  him  should  walk  abroad  among  his  fellowmen,  and 
5  travel  far  and  wide,  and  if  that  spirit  goes  not  forth  in  life, 
it  is  condemned  to  do  so  after  death.  It  is  doomed  to  wander 
through  the  world  —  oh,  woe  is  me!  —  and  witness  what  it 
cannot  share,  but  might  have  shared  on  earth  and  turned 
to  happiness.  (Raises  a  cry^  shakes  chain,  and  wrings  its 
lo   shadowy  hands.) 

Scrooge  {trembling)     You  are  fettered.     Tell  me  why. 

Ghost  I  wear  the  chain  I  forged  in  life.  I  made  it  link 
by  link,  and  yard  by  yard.  I  girded  it  on  of  my  own  free 
will,  and  of  my  own  free  will  I  wore  it.  Is  its  pattern  strange 
15  to  you  ?  {Scrooge  trembles  more  and  more.)  Or  would  you 
know  the  weight  and  length  of  the  strong  coil  you  bear  your- 
self? It  was  full  as  heavy  and  as  long  as  this  seven 
Christmas  Eves  ago.  You  have  labored  on  it  since.  It 
is  a  ponderous  chain! 

{Scrooge  glances  about  him  on  floor  as  ij  expecting  to  see 
himselj  surrounded  by  some  fijty  or  sixty  fathoms  oj  iron 
cable) . 

20  Scrooge  {imploringly)  Jacob!  Oh,  Jacob  Marley,  tell 
me  more!     Speak  comfort  to  me,  Jacob. 

Ghost  1  have  none  to  give.  It  comes  from  other  regions, 
Ebenezer  Scrooge,  and  is  conveyed  by  other  ministers,  to  other 
kinds  of  men.     Nor  can  I  tell  you  what  I  would.     A  very 

25  little  more  is  all  permitted  to  me.  I  cannot  rest,  I  cannot 
stay,  I  cannot  linger  anywhere.  My  spirit  never  walked 
beyond  our  counting  house,  mark  me!  in  life  my  spirit  never 
roved  beyond  the  narrow  limits  of  our  money-changing 
hole;    and  weary  journeys  lie  before  me! 

{Scrooge  always  puts  hands  in  pockets  when  thought  July  he 
does  so  now.) 


A  CHRISTMAS  CAROL  349 

Scrooge  (business-like  manner,  hut  with  humility  and 
deference)     You  must  have  been  very  slow  about  it,  Jacob. 

Ghost    Slow ! 

Scrooge  (musingly)     Seven  years  dead,  and  traveling  all 
5  the  time. 

Ghost  The  whole  time.  No  rest,  no  peace.  Incessant 
torture  of  remorse. 

Scrooge    You  travel  fast. 

Ghost    On  the  wings  of  the  wind. 
10     Scrooge    You  might  have  got  over  a  great  quantity  of 
ground  in  seven  years. 

(Ghost  wails,  clanks  chain.) 

Ghost  Oh!  Oh!  Captive,  bound  and  double- ironed, 
not  to  know  that  ages  of  incessant  labor,  by  immortal  crea- 
tures, for  this  earth,  must  pass  into  eternity  before  the  good 

15  of  which  it  is  susceptible  is  all  developed.  Not  to  know  that 
any  Christian  spirit  working  kindly  in  its  little  sphere,  what- 
ever it  may  be,  will  find  its  mortal  life  too  short  for  its  vast 
means  of  usefulness.  Not  to  know  that  no  space  of  regret 
can  make  amends  for  one's  life's  opportunity  misused.     Yet 

20  such  was  I!     Oh!  such  was  I! 

Scrooge  But  you  were  always  a  good  man  of  business, 
Jacob.     (Begins  to  apply  this  to  himself.) 

Ghost  Business!  Mankind  was  my  business;  the  com- 
mon welfare  was  my  business,  charity,  mercy,  forbearance, 

25  and  benevolence  were  all  my  business.  The  dealings  of  my 
trade  were  but  a  drop  of  water  in  the  comprehensive  ocean  of 
my  business.  (Holds  up  chain  and  -flings  it  down.)  At  this 
time  of  the  year  I  suffer  most.  Why  did  I  walk  through 
crowds  of  fellow-beings  with  my  eyes  turned  down,  and  never 

30  raise  them  to  that  blessed  Star  which  led  the  Wise  Men  to 
a  poor  abode?  Were  there  no  poor  homes  to  which  its  light 
would  have  conducted  me?  Hear  me!  My  time  is  nearly 
gone. 


3SO  STANDARD  CLASSIC  READER  , 

Scrooge  {quaking)  I  will.  But  don't  be  hard  upon  me  I 
Don't  be  flowery,  Jacob! 

Ghost  How  it  is  that  I  appear  before  you  in  a  shape  that 
you  can  see,  I  cannot  tell.  I  have  sat  invisible  beside  you, 
5  many,  many  a  day.  {Scrooge  shivers  and  wipes  perspiration 
from  his  brow.)  That  is  no  light  part  of  my  penance.  I  am 
here  to-night  to  warn  you  that  you  have  yet  a  chance  and 
hope  of  escaping  my  fate.  A  chance  and  hope  of  my  pro- 
curing, Eberiezer. 
lo     Scrooge    You  were  always  a  good  friend  to  me. 

Ghost    You  will  be  haunted  by  spirits. 

Scrooge  Is  that  the  chance  and  hope  you  mentioned, 
Jacob  ? 

Ghost    It  is. 
15     Scrooge    I  —  I  think  I'd  rather  not. 

Ghost  Without  their  visits  you  cannot  hope  to  shun  the 
path  I  tread.  Look  to  see  me  no  more.  And  look,  that,  for 
your  own  sake,  you  remember  what  has  passed  between  us! 

{Scrooge  looks  up  and  sees  Ghost  walk  backward  and  at  every 
step  the  window  raises  itself  a  little,  so  that  when  the  Ghost 
reaches  it,  it  is  wide  open.  Ghost  beckons  Scrooge  to  approach^ 
which  he  does.  When  they  are  within  two  paces  of  each  other, 
Marley^s  Ghost  holds  up  its  hand,  warning  him  to  come  no 
nearer,  Scrooge  stops,  not  so  much  in  obedience  as  in  surprise 
and  jear;  for  on  the  raising  of  the  hand,  he  became  sensible 
of  confused  sounds  in  the  air;  incoherent  sounds  of  lamentations, 
regret;  waitings,  sorrowful  and  self -accusatory.  The  Ghost, 
after  listening  for  a  moment,  joins  in  the  mournful  dirge,  and 
floats  out.  Scrooge  goes  to  the  window,  desperate  in  his 
curiosity.  He  looks  out,  hears  moanings,  ghosts  flit  by,  wear- 
ing chains.  Finally  all  is  quiet.  Scrooge  closes  window. 
Returns  to  chair  bewildered,  and  falls  asleep.  Low  music. 
After  a  time  Scrooge  wakes.  Spirit  of  Christmas  Past  enters 
at  back  of  sta^e,  unseen  by  Scrooge,  pauses  back  0}  him,) 


A  CHRISTMAS  CAROL  351 

Scrooge  (bewildered)     Was   it   a  dream   or  not? 

{Spirit  oj  Christmas  Past  moves  in  front  0}  Scrooge. 
Dressed  in  a  tunic  oj  purest  white;  and  round  its  waist  is 
hound  a  lustrous  belt.  It  holds  a  branch  oj  jresh  green  holly 
in  its  hand;  and  its  dress  is  covered  with  flowers.) 

Scrooge  Are  you  the  Spirit,  sir,  whose  coming  was  fore- 
told me? 

Spirit  oj  Christmas  Past    I  am.     (Voice so jt  and  gentle.) 
5     Scrooge    Who  and  what  are  you  ? 

Spirit    I  am  the  Ghost  of  Christmas  Past. 

Scrooge    Long  past? 

Spirit    No.      Your  past. 

Scrooge    What  business  brought  you  here? 
10     Spirit    Your  welfare! 

Scrooge    Thank  you! 

Spirit  Come  with  me  and  I  will  show  you  a  Christmas  in 
your  past. 

(Leads  Scrooge  to  dark  corner  oj  stage.  Old  gentleman 
enters,  dressed  in  colonial  suit,  a  jolly  comjortable  looking 
jellow,  begins  decorating  office  with  holly,  mistletoe,  etc. 
Works  hurriedly,  gleejully.) 

Scrooge  to  Spirit  (gentleman  is  perjectly  unconscious  oj  his 
IS  presence)     Why,  it's  old  Fezziwig!     I  was  his  apprentice! 
Bless  his  heart,  it's  Fezziwig  alive  again! 


(Fezziwig  rubs  hands,  adjusts  his  capacious  Waistcoat, 
laughs  all  over  himselj,  and  calls  out  in  a  comjortable,  oily, 
rich,  jovial  voice.) 

Spirit    Yo  ho,   there!   Ebenezer!     Dick! 

(Enter  Scrooge's  jormer  selj,  now  grown  a  young  man,  and 
Dick,  Scrooge'' s  jellow-apprentice.) 


352  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Fezziwig  (slapping  them  on  back)  Yo  ho,  my  boys!  No 
more  work  to-night.  Christmas  Eve,  Dick!  Christmas, 
Ebenezer  Scrooge!  Let's  have  the  shutters  up  before  a  man 
can  say  Jack  Robinson!  (Both  charge  in  street  to  put  up 
5  shutters  and  charge  in  again  while  Fezziwig  looks  joyjully 
around.)  Hilli-ho!  (skipping  about)  Cleai  away,  my  lads, 
and  let's  have  lots  of  room,  here!  Hillo-ho,  Dick!  Chirrup, 
Ebenezer! 

(Every  movable  object  is  packed  of}  in  a  minute;  lamps 
are  trimmed,  fuel  heaped  upon  the  fire.) 

Fezziwig    Now  it  looks  as  snug  and  warm  and  dry  and 
lo  bright  as  a  ball-room !     Come,  everybody  (calls  to  people  out 
in  factory).    No  more  work  to-night. 

(Enter  fiddler  with  music-rack,  plays  jigs  and  lively  dance- 
music.  In  comes  Mrs  Fezziwig,  one  vast  substantial  smile, 
the  three  Miss  Fezziwigs,  beaming  and  lovable,  the  six  young 
followers  whose  hearts  they  broke.  In  come  all  the  young 
men  and  women  employed  in  the  business.  In  come  house- 
maid, baker,  cook,  milkman.  In  they  all  come,  one  after 
another;  some  shyly,  some  boldly,  some  gracefully,  some 
pushing,  some  pulling,  in  they  all  come  anyhow  and  everyhow. 
Away  they  go,  twenty  couple  at  once.  Virginia  Reel  or  any 
square  dance.  When  dancing  is  over,  Old  Fezziwig  claps 
hands  and  cries)     "  Well  done! " 

(Fiddler  tunes  up,  ^'Sir  Roger  de  Coverley.''^  Old  Fezziwig 
stands  out  to  dance  with  Mrs.  Fezziwig.  All  dance.  Then 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Fezziwig  take  their  stands  on  either  side  of 
the  door,  shake  hands  with  everyone,  as  he  or  she  go  out, 
wishing  them  a  Merry  Christmas.  All  go.  Cheerful  voices 
die  away.  During  this  time,  Scrooge  has  acted  like  a  man 
out  of  his  wits.  His  heart  and  soul  have  been  in  the  scene, 
and  with  his  former  self.    He  remembers  everything,  enjoys 


A  CHRISTMAS  CAROL  353 

everything.    Suddenly  he  becomes  conscious  that  the  Spirit 
is  looking  at  him.) 

Spirit  of  Christmas  Past    A  small  matter  to  make  these 
silly  folks  so  full  of  gratitude. 
Scrooge    Small! 

Spirit    Why  is  it  not  ?    He  has  spent  but  a  few  pounds  of 
5  your  mortal  money  —  three  or  four  —  perhaps.     Is  that  so 
much  that  he  deserves  this  praise? 

Scrooge    It  isn't  that.     It  isn't  that,  Spirit.     He  has  the 
power  to  render  us  happy  or  unhappy;   fo  make  our  service 
light  or  burdensome;  a  pleasure  or  a  toil.     Say  that  his  power 
fo  lies  in  words  and  looks ;   in  things  so  slight  and  insignificant 
that  \t  is  impossible  to  add  and  count  them  up  —  what  then  ? 
The  happiness  he  gives  us  is  quite  as  great  as  if  it  cost  a  for- 
tune.    {Feels  the  Spirits  glance  and  stops.) 
Ghost    What  is  the  matter? 
15      Scrooge    Nothing  particular. 
Ghost    Something  I  think. 

Scrooge    No!     No!     I  should  like  to  be  able  to  say  a  word 
.    or  two  to  my  clerk  just  now.     That's  all. 

{Attention  called  to  young  lady  and  young  man  entering, 
young  man  carries  chair  for  lady,  then  brings  in  one  jor 
himself.     Young  girl  is  in  mourning  dress.) 

Young  Girl    It  matters  little  {gazing  in  fire,  young  man, 

20  Scrooge's  former  self,  leaning  on  mantel- piece)     To  you,  very 

little.     Another  idol  has  displaced  me,  and  if  it  can  cheer 

and  comfort  you  in  time  to  come,  as  I  would  have  tried  to  do, 

I  have  no  just  cause  to  grieve. 

Young  Man    What  idol  has  displaced  you? 
25      Young  Girl    A  golden  one. 

Scrooge's  Former  Self    This  is  the  even  handed  dealings 
of  the  world!     There  is  nothing  on  which  it  is  so  hard  as 


354  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READEF 

poverty,  and  there  is  nothing  it  professes  to  condemn  with 
such  severity  as  the  pursuit  of  wealth. 

Young  Girl    You  fear  the  world  too  much.     All  your  hopes 

have  merged  into  the  hope  of  being  beyond  the  chance  of  its 

5  sordid  approach.    I  have  seen  your  nobler  aspirations  fall 

off,  one  by  one,  until,  the  master  passion.  Gain,  engrosses  you. 

Have  I  not  ? 

Young  Man    What  then?     Even  if  I  have  grown  so  much 
wiser,  what  then?    I  am  not  changed  toward  you.     (Silence.) 
lo  Am  I  ? 

Young  Girl    Our  contract   is  an  old  one.     It  was  made 

when  we  were  both  poor  and  content  to  be  so,  until  in  good 

season,  we  could  improve  our  worldly  fortune  by  our' patient 

industry.     You  are  changed.     When  it  was  made,  you  were 

15  another  man. 

Young  Man    I  was  a  boy.     (Impatiently.) 

Young  Girl  Your  own  feeling  tells  you  that  you  were 
not  what  you  are.  I  am.  That  which  promised  happiness 
when  we  were  one  in  heart  is  fraught  with  misery  now  that 
20  we  are  two.  How  often  and  how  keen  I  have  thought  of  this, 
I  will  not  say.  It  is  enough  that  I  have  thought  of  it,  and  can 
release  you. 

Young  Man    Have  I  ever  sought  release? 

Young  Girl    In  words,  no.     Never. 
25      Young  Man    In  what,  then? 

Young  Girl    In  a  changed  nature;    in  an  altered  spirit, 

in  another  atmosphere  of  life;  another  Hope  has  its  great  end. 

In  everything  that  made  my  love  of  any  worth  or  value  in 

your  sight.     If  this  had  never  been  between  us,  tell  me,  would 

30  you  seek  me  out  and  try  to  win  me  now  ?    Ah,  no ! 

Young  Man    You  think  not? 

Young  Girl    1  would  gladly  think  otherwise  if  I  could, 

Heaven  knows.     When  I  have  learned  a  Truth  like  this,  I 

know  how  strong  and  irresistible  it  must  be.    But  if  you  were 

35  free  to-day,  to-morrow,  yesterday,  can  even  I,  believe  that  you 


A   CHRISTMAS   CAROL  355 

would  choose  a  dowerless  girl  —  you  who,  in  your  very  con- 
fidence with  her,  weigh  everything  by  Gain,  or,  choosing  her, 
if  for  a  moment  you  were  false  enough  to  your  own  guiding 
principles  to  do  so,  do  1  not  know  that  your  repentance  and 
5  regret  would  surely  follow?  I  do;  and  I  release  you,  with  a 
full  heart,  for  love  of  him  you  once  were.  {He  starts  to  speaky 
she  motions  him  to  he  silent^  moves  toward  door  on  left  and  re- 
sumes talking)  You  may  know,  the  memory  of  what  is  past 
half  makes  me  hope  you  will  have  pain  in  this.  A  very,  very 
10  brief  time,  and  you  will  dismiss  the  recollection  of  it,  gladly, 
as  an  unprofitable  dream,  from  which  it  happened  well 
that  you  awoke.  May  you  be  happy  in  the  life  you  have 
chosen !  (She  moves  out  of  door.  Young  man  takes  hat 
and  goes  slowly  out  right) 
15  Scrooge  to  Spirit  Show  me  no  more!  Why  do  you  delight 
to  torture  me?  Leave  me!  Haunt  me  no  more!  {Spirit 
glides  out  left.  Scrooge  turns  to  right  and  starts  to  see  another 
Spirit  coming  in  right.  Spirit  is  dressed  in  a  simple,  green 
robe,  bordered  with  fur,  a  holly  wreath  is  on  the  head,  set  here 
20  and  there  with  shining  icicles;  its  very  voice  is  cheery.) 

Spirit  of  Christmas  Present    You  have  never  seen  the  like 
of  me  before? 
Scrooge    Never.  ^ 

Spirit  of   Christmas   Present    Have   never   walked    fornP 
25  with  the  younger  members  of  my  family,  meaning  —  for  I 
am  very  young  —  my  elder  brothers  born  in  these  later  years  ? 
Scrooge     I  don't  think  I  have.     I  am  afraid  I  have  not. 
Have  you  had  many  brothers,  Spirit? 
Spirit  of  Christmas  Present    More  than  eighteen  hundred. 
30      Scrooge    A  tremendous  family  to  provide  for! 

Spirit  (submissively)     If  you  have  aught  to  teach  me,  let 
me  profit  by  it. 


35^  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

ACT   II 

Scene  I 

{Interior  oj  Bob  CratchWs  Home.  Spirit  and  Scrooge  hack 
in  dim  corner.  Dining-room,  cheaply  hut  cozily  jurnished. 
Mrs.  Cratchit  and  daughter  Belinda  setting  the  tahle.  Peter 
Cratchit  mashing  potatoes,  and  getting  the  corners  oj  his  mon- 
strous shirt  collar  into  his  mouth.  Two  small  Cratchits,  hoy 
and  girl,  come  tearing  in  and  dance  round  tahle.) 

Small  Cratchit  We  smelt  the  goose  down  by  the  baker's 
and  knew  it  for  our  own!  (Small  Cratchits  put  fingers  in 
eatables^ 

Mrs.  Cratchit     Don't  do  that,  my  dears.     Go  sit  in  your 
5  little  rocking  chairs  until  we  are  ready.     What  has  ever  got 
your  precious  father?    And  your  brother,  Tiny  Tim!     And 
Martha  warn't  as  late  last  Christmas  Day  by  half  an  hour. 

Small  Cratchit    Here's  Martha,  mother!     Hurrah,  there's 
such  a  goose,  Martha!  . 
lo      Mrs.  Cratchit    Why  bless  your  heart  alive,  my  dear,  how 
late  you  are!     {Taking  off  her  cap  and  shawl) 

Martha  We'd  a  deal  of  work  to  finish  up  last  night  and 
had  to  clear  away  this  morning,  mother! 

Mrs.  Cratchit    Well!     Never  mind  so  long  as  you  have 
15  come.     Sit  ye  down  before  the  fire,  my  dear,  and  have  a  warm, 
Lord  bless  you ! 

Small  Cratchit    No.     No!     There's  father  coming.     Hide, 
Martha,  hide!     {Martha  hides.     Boh,  Scrooge's  clerk,  enters 
with  Tiny  Tim  upon  his  shoulder.     Tiny  Tim  flourishes  a 
20  crutch) 

Boh    Why,  where's  our  Martha.     {Looking  around) 

Mrs.  Cratchit    Not  coming. 

Boh    Not   coming!     Not  coming   upon    Christmas   Day! 


A  CHRISTMAS   CAROL  357 

(Martha  runs  out  from  behind  into  his  arms.     Two  young 
Cratchits  hustle  Tiny  Tim  to  see  the  goose.) 

Mrs.  Cratchit    And  how  did  little  Tim  behave? 

Boh  As  good  as  gold  and  better.  Somehow  he  gets 
thoughtful  sitting  by  himself  so  much  and  thinks  the  strangest 
things  you  ever  heard.  He  told  me  coming  home  that  he 
5  hoped  the  people  saw  him  in  the  church,  because  he  was  a 
cripple,  and  it  might  be  pleasant  to  them  to  remember  upon 
Christmas  Day  Who  made  lame  beggars  walk  and  blind 
«ien  see. 

Mrs.  Cratchit    The  little  dear! 
10     Boh    I  think  he'll  soon  grow  strong  and  hearty.     {Enter 
Tiny  Tim  on  crutch^  goes  to  fireplace) 

Tiny  Tim    I  pulled  a  plum  out  of  the  plum  pudding. 

Mrs.  Cratchit    Sit  up  the  chairs,  children.     Martha  dear, 
go  fetch  the  goose.     {All  sit  down  to  tahle.) 
15      Tiny  Tim  {pounding  tahle)     Hurrah! 

Small  Cratchit     {to  Bob  as  he  begins  to  carve)     Give  me 
a  big  piece. 

Martha    I'll  take  the  leg. 

Boh    I  don't  believe  there  ever  was  such  a  goose  cooked. 
20     Martha    It's  so  tender! 

Tiny  Tim    And  so  cheap. 

Small  Cratchit    And  so  big! 

Martha    It  tastes  nice  and  goosey. 

Tiny  Tim    I  feel  like  I  had  sage  and  onion  up  to  my  eye- 
25  brows. 

Martha    We  are  going  to  have  plum  pudding. 

Peter  {snijjs)     It  smells  like  a  washing-day.. 

Martha    That's  the  cloth.     It  smells  like  an  eating-house 

and  a  pastry  cook's  next  door  to  each  other,  with  a  laundress 

30  next  door  to  that.     {Laughs)     Oh,  I  almost  forgot  to  tell  you 

the  news!     What  do  you  think!     I  saw  a  real  countess  and 

lord  to-day;  the  lord  was  about  as  tall  as  Peter. 


358  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

(Enter  Mrs.  Cralchit  with  pudding.    Chorus  "Oh!^*) 

Mrs.  Cratchit    It's  all  right.     I  was  so  nervous.     I  was 

afraid  it  wouldn't  be  done  or  would  break  in  the  turning  out. 

Then  I  thought  suppose  some  one  should  have  got  over  the 

wall  of  the  back  yard  and  stolen  it  while  we  were  making 

5  merry  with  the  goose.     But  it's  all  right. 

Small  Cratchit    I  can  eat  a  big  piece. 

Martha    I  can  eat  two  pieces. 

Tiny  Tim    I  want  a  piece  with  a  million  raisins  in  it. 

Bob    I  regard  it  as  the  greatest  success  achieved  by  Mrs. 
lo  Cratchit  since  our  marriage. 

Mrs.  Cratchit    Now  the  weight's  off  my  mind,  I  will  con- 
fess I  had  my  doubts  about  the  quantity  of  flour. 

Bob  Cratchit    It's  a  wonderful  pudding.     Oh,  I  saw  Mr. 

Scrooge's  nephew  on  the  street;   he  wished   me  a  Merry 

15  Christmas.     He  is  the  pleasant  est  spoken  gentleman  you  ever 

heard.    He  said,  "Remember  me  to  your  good  wife."     By 

the  by,  how  he  ever  knew  that,  I  don't  know. 

Mrs.  Cratchit    Knew  what,  my  dear? 

Bob    Why  that  you  were  a  good  wife. 
20      Peter    Everybody  knows  that. 

Bob  Very  well  observed,  my  boy!  I  hope  they  do.  "  Re- 
member me,"  he  said,  "to  your  good  wife.  If  I  can  be  of 
service  to  you  in  any  way,"  he  said,  giving  me  his  card, 
"that's  where  I  live.  Pray  come  to  me!"  Now  it  wasn't  for 
25  the  sake  of  anything  he  might  do  for  us,  so  much  as  for  his 
kind  way,  that  this  was  quite  delightful. 

Mrs  Cratchit    I'm  sure  he's  a  good  soul. 

Bob    You  would  be  sure  of  it,  my  dear,  if  you  saw  and 
spoke  to  him.     I  shouldn't  be  surprised  at  all,  mark  what  I 
30  say,  if  he  got  Peter  a  better  situation. 

Mrs.  Cratchit    Only  hear  that,  Peter. 

Martha    And  then  Peter  will  be  keeping  company  with 
some  one  and  setting  up  for  himself. 


A  CHRISTMAS   CAROL  359 

Peter     Get  along  with  you! 

Boh     It's  just  as  likely  as  not.     Oh,  we  mustn't  forget  our 
Christmas  toast!     A  Merry  Christmas  to  us  all,  my  dears, 
God  bless  us! 
5      Tiny  Tim     God  bless  us,  every  one! 

Boh    Mr.  Scrooge.     I'll  give  you  Mr.  Scrooge,  the  Founder 
of  the  Feast. 

Mrs.  Cratchit    The  Founder  of  the  Feast  indeed !     I  wish 
I  had  him  here.     I'd  give  him  a  piece  of  my  mind  to  feast 
10  upon,  and  I  hope  he'd  have  a  good  appetite  for  it. 

Boh     My  dear — the  children — Christmas  Day! 

Mrs.  Cratchit    It  should  be  Christmas  Day,  I  am  sure, 

on  which  one  drinks  the  health  of  such  an  odious,  stingy, 

hard,  unfeeling  man  as  Mr.   Scrooge.     You   know^  he   is, 

15  Robert!    Nobody  know  it  better  than  you  do,  poor  fellow! 

Boh     My  dear,  Christmas  Day! 

Mrs.  Cratchit     I'll  drink  his  health  for  your  sake  and  the 
day's,  not  for  his.     Long  life  to  him !    A  Merry  Christmas 
and  a  Happy  New  Year!    He'll  be  very  merry  and  very 
20  happy,  I  have  no  doubt o 

Tiny  Tim    I  feel  so  happy.     I  feel  just  like  singing. 

Mrs.  Cratchit    The  little  dear!    Sing  for  us. 

{Tiny  Tim  sings) 
Scene  II 

(Interior  of  Nephew^s  living  room.  Well  furnished  for 
comfort  and  beauty.  Circle  of  friends,  all  laughing  loudly 
as  curtain  rises.    Scrooge  and  Spirit  at  hack  of  room.) 

Nephew  (laughing)     Ha,  ha!   ha,  ha!    he  said  that  Christ- 
mas was  a  humbug,  as  I  live!    He  believed  it,  too. 
5      Niece  (Fred's    wife,  indignant)     More    shame    for    him, 
Fred! 
Nephew    He's  a  comical  old  fellow,  that's  the  truth,  and 


360  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

not  so  pleasant  as  he  might  be.  However,  his  offenses  carry 
their  own  punishment  and  I  have  nothing  to  say  against 
him. 

Niece    I  am  sure  he  is  very  rich,  Fred.     At  least  you  al- 
5  ways  tell  me  so. 

Nephew    What  of  that,  my  dear!     His  wealth  is  of  no  use 
to   him.     He  doesn't  do  anything  with    it.     He  hasn't  the 
satisfaction  of  thinking  —  ha,  ha! — that  he  is  ever  going  to 
benefit  us  with  it. 
10      Niece    I  have  no  patience  with  him. 

Nephew     Oh,  I  have,  I  am  sorry  for  him.     I  couldn't  be 

angry  with  him  if  I  tried.     Who  suffers  by  his  ill-whims? 

Himself  always.     Here  he  takes  it  into  his  head  to  dislike 

us  and  he  doesn't  come  and  dine  with  us.     What's  the  con- 

15  sequence?    He  doesn't  lose  much  of  a  dinner. 

Niece    Indeed.     I  think  he  loses  a  very  good'  dinner. 
Nephew    Well!     I'm  glad  to  hear  it,  for  I  haven't  any 
great  faith  in  these  young  housekeepers. 

Niece  (clapping    hands)     Do    go    on,  Fred!     He    never 

20  finishes  what  he  begins  to  say,  he's  such  a  ridiculous  fellow. 

Nephew    I  was  only  going  to  say  that  in  consequence  of 

his  taking  a  dislike  to  us,  and  not  making  merry  with  us,  as  I 

think,  that  he  loses  some  pleasant  moments,  which  could  do 

him  no  harm.     I  am  sure  he  loses  pleasanter  companions  than 

25  he  can  find  in  his  own  thoughts,  either  in  his  moldy  old  office 

or  his  dusty  rooms.     I  mean  to  give  him  the  same  chance 

every  year,  whether  he  likes  it  or  not,  for  I  pity  him.     He  may 

rail  at  Christmas  till  he  dies,  but  he  can't  help  thinking  better 

of  it  —  I  defy  him  —  if  he  finds  me  going  there  year  after 

30  year,  and  saying,  ''Uncle  Scrooge,  how  are  you?"  If  it  only 

puts  him  in  a  vein  to  leave  his  poor  clerk  fifty  pounds,  that's 

something,  and  I  think  I  shook  him  yesterday. 

Topper    I'd  like  to   see  you   shake   Mr.  Scrooge.      {All 
laugh) 
35     Nephew    But  I  did,  I'm   sure.    Let's  have  a  game  of 


A  CHRISTMAS   CAROL  361 

"Yes  and  No."     {Scrooge  shows  great  interest  in  this  game) 
Let  me  see.     Oh  (laughs)  I  have  it! 

Niece    Is  it  a  plant? 

Nephew    No. 
5      Topper    Is  it  an  animal? 

Nephew  (laughing)     Yes. 

Plump  Sister    Is  it  a  live  animal? 

Nephew    Yes. 

Other  Sister    Rather  disagreeable  animal? 
10      Nephew    Yes. 

Topper    A  savage  animal? 

Nephew    Yes. 

Niece    An  animal  that  growls  and  grunts? 

Nephew    Yes. 
15      Topper     Does  it  talk? 

Nephew    Yes. 

Plump  Sister    Does  it  live  in  London? 

Nephew    Yes. 

Other  Sister    Does  it  walk  the  streets? 
20     Nephew     Yes. 

Topper    Is  it  ever  made  a  show  of? 

Nephew    No. 

Niece    Is  it  led  by  anybody? 

Nephew    No. 
25      Topper     Does  it  live  in  a  menagerie? 

Nephew     No. 

ATiec^     Was  it  ever  killed  in  market? 

Nephew     No. 

Plump  Sister    It's  a  horse. 
30     Nephew    No. 

Niece    A  cow. 

Nephew    No. 

0//jgr  ^w/er    A  tiger. 

(Nephew  stamps  and  laughs^ 


362  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Niece    A  dog. 
Topper    A  pig. 
Plump  Sister    A  cat.      " 
Topper    A  bear. 
5     Niece    I  have  found  it  out.     I  know  what  it  is,  Fred.     I 
know  what  it  is ! 

Nephew    What  is  it? 
Niece    It's  Uncle  Scrooge! 

(^All  laugh.) 

Nephew  {laughing)     Well,    he    has   given   us   plenty   of 
10  merriment,  I  am  sure,  and  it  would  be  ungrateful  not  to  drink 
to  his  health.     I  say,  '*  Uncle  Scrooge." 
All    Well!    Uncle  Scrooge! 

Nephew    A  Merry  Christmas  and  a  Happy  New  Year  to 
the  old  man,  whatever  he  is.    He  wouldn't  take  it  from  me, 
15  but  may  he  have  it,  nevertheless!     Uncle  Scrooge. 
All    A  Merry  Christmas,  Uncle  Scrooge! 


ACT   III 

Scene  I 

{Interior  oj  Scrooge's  office.    Scrooge  asleep,  awakes,  rubs 
eyes,  jumps  up,  happy  hut  bewildered) 

Scrooge  Ah,  I  remember  it  all  now,  the  Spirits  and  the 
shadows.  The  curtains  are  here,  they  are  not  torn  down, 
they  are  here.  I  am  here;  the  shadows  of  the  things  that 
20  would  have  been  may  be  dispelled.  They  will  be,  I  know 
they  will.  I  will  live  in  the  Past,  the  Present,  and  the  Future. 
The  Spirits  of  all  three  shall  strive  within  me.     Oh,  Jacob 


A  CHRISTMAS  CAROL  363 

Marley,  Heaven  and  the  Christmas  Time  be  praised  for 
this!  I  say  it  on  my  knees,  old  Jacob,  on  my  knees!  I  don't 
know  what  to  do.  I  am  as  light  as  a  feather!  I  am  as  happy 
as  an  angel.  I  am  as  merry  as  a  school- boy.  I  am  as  giddy 
5  as  a  drunken  man. 

A  Merry  Christmas  to  everybody!  A  Happy  New  Year 
to  all  the  world!  Hallo,  here!  Whoop!  Hallo!  (Frisks 
about  the  room.)  There's  the  comer  where  the  Ghost  of 
Christmas  Present  sat.  There's  the  window  where  I  saw 
10  the  wandering  Spirits.  It's  all  right,  it's  all  true,  it  all  hap- 
pened! Ha,  ha,  ha!  I  don't  know  how  long  I've  been  among 
the  Spirits.  I  don't  know  anything,  I'm  quite  a  baby.  Never 
mind.  I  don't  care.  I'd  rather  be  a  baby.  Hallo!  Whoop! 
Hallo,  here!  (Calls  to  boy  out  window)  What's  to-day? 
15      Boy  (down  on  street)     Eh? 

Scrooge  .  What's  to-day,  my  fine  fellow? 

Boy    To-day?    Why,  Christmas  Day. 

Scrooge  (delighted)     It's  Christmas  Day.     I  haven't  missed 
it.     The  Spirits  have  done  it  all  in  one  night.     They  can  do 
20  anything  they  like.     Of  course  they  can !     Of   course  they 
can!     Of  course  they  can!     Hallo,  my  fine  fellow! 

Boy    Hallo. 

Scrooge    Do  you  know  the  Poulterer's  in  the  next  street 
but  one,  at  the  comer? 
25      Boy    I  should  hope  I  did. 

Scrooge  An  intelligent  boy!  A  remarkable  boy!  Do 
you  know  whether  they  have  sold  the  prize  turkey  that  was 
hanging  up  there?     Not  the  little  prize  turkey — the  big  one? 

Boy    What,  the  big  one  as  big  as  me  ? 
30     Scrooge    What  a  delightful  boy!    It's  a  pleasure  to  talk  to 
him.     Yes,  my  boy. 

Boy    It's  hanging  there  now. 

Scrooge    Is  it  ?     Go  and  buy  it. 

Boy     Joking? 
35     Scrooge    No,  no!     I'm  in  earnest.     Go  and  buy  it,  and  tell 


364  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

them  to  bring  it  here,  that  I  may  give  them  the  directions 
where  to  take  it.  Come  back  in  five  minutes  and  I'll  give 
you  a  shilling.  Come  back  in  three  minutes  and  I'll  give  you 
half  a  crown.  {Boy  is  off  like  a  shot.  Scrooge  rubs  hands 
5  together  and  is  jairly  splitting  with  laughter)  I'll  send  it  to 
Bob  Cratchit.  He  shan't  know  who  sent  it.  It's  twice 
the  size  of  Tiny  Tim.  Joe  Miller  never  made  such  a  joke 
as  sending  it  to  Bob's  will  be.  {Enter  hoy  and  grocer  with 
turkey)     Hallo !    Well,  that  is  a  turkey.     He  never  could 

10  have  stood  upon  his  legs,  that  bird !  He  would  have  snapped 
them  off  in  a  minute,  like  sticks  of  sealing  wax.  Why  it's 
impossible  to  carry  that  to  Camden  Town.  You  must  have 
a  cab.  Here's  the  money  for  the  turkey  {chuckles).  Here's 
the  money  for  the  cab.     {Laughs)     And  here's  the  money 

15  for  the  run.  {Grocer  and  boy  bow  themselves  out.  Scrooge 
sinks  in  chair,  laughing)  Such  a  joke!  Won't  Tiny  Tim 
pound  the  table!  Why,  I'll  have  to  send  them  a  stove  to  bake 
it  in.  {Laughs)  If  I  can  just  catch  Bob  Cratchit  coming 
late.     {Goes  to  look  at  clock)     It's  nine  and  no  Bob.     {Writes 

20  at  desk,  looks  up  and  catches  sight  oj  gentleman  through  win- 
dow) There's  the  gentleman  who  came  in  yesterday  and 
said,  "Scrooge  and  Marley,  I  believe."  I'll  call  him  {knocks 
on  window.     Gentleman  enters) 

Scrooge  {taking  gentleman  by  both  hands)     My  dear  sir, 

25  how  are  you  ?    I  hope  you  raised  a  good  sum  yesterday.     It 
was  very  kind  of  you.     A  Merry  Christmas  to  you,  sir! 
Gentleman  {surprised)     Why,  it's  Mr.  Scrooge. 
Scrooge    Yes.     That  is  my  name  and  I  fear  it  may  not  be 
pleasant  to  you.     Allow  me  to  ask  your  pardon.     And  will 

30  you  have  the  goodness  to  put  me  down  for  one  thousand 
pounds. 

Gentleman    Zounds!     Mr.  Scrooge.     Are  you  serious? 
Scrooge    If  you  please,  not  a  farthing  less.     A  great  many 
back  payments  are  included  in  it,  I  assure  you.     Will  you  do 

35  me  that  favor  ? 


A  CHRISTMAS   CAROL  365 

Gentleman  My  dear  Sir,  I  don't  know  what  to  say  to  such 
muni  — 

Scrooge  {interrupting)     Don't  say  anything,  please.    Come 
and  see  me.     Will  you  come  and  see  me  ? 
5      Gentleman    I  will,  most  certainly. 

Scrooge  Thank  you.  I  am  obliged  to  you.  I  thank  you 
fifty  times.     Bless  you!     {Exit  gentleman.) 

Scrooge  {goes  to  desk,  laughs)  A  quarter  past.  No  Bob. 
He's  full  eighteen  and  a  half  minutes  behind  time. 

{Enter  Bob  with  hat  off  before  entering  door,  muffler  too. 
Seated  in  jiffy,  writes  rapidly.) 

10  Scrooge  {growls  like  his  former  self)  Hallo!  What  do 
you  mean  by  coming  here  this  time  of  day? 

Clerk    I  am  very  sorry,  sir.     I  am  behind  time. 
Scrooge    You  are  ?     Yes,  I  think  you  are.     Step  this  way, 
sir,  if  you  please. 

15  Clerk  It's  only  once  a  year,  sir.  It  shall  not  be  repeated. 
I  was  making  rather  merry  yeserday,  sir. 

Scrooge  Now  I  tell  you  what,  I  am  not  going  to  stand  this 
sort  of  thing  any  longer.  And  therefore  {leaping  from  chair 
and  slapping  Bob)  and  therefore,  I  am  about  to  raise  your 

20  salary !  A  Merry  Christmas,  Bob !  A  Merrier  Christmas, 
Bob,  my  good  fellow,  than  I  have  given  you  for  many  a  year! 
I'll  raise  your  salary  and  help  your  family  and  we'll  talk  it 
over  this  very  afternoon.  Make  up  the  fires  and  buy  a  ton 
of  coal,  two  tons,  fifty  tons,  before  you  dot  another  i,   Bob 

25  Cratchit.  I'm  going  to  be  as  good  a  friend,  as  good  a  master, 
and  as  good  a  man,  as  this  good  old  city  knows  or  any  other 
good  old  city,  town  or  county,  in  the  good  old  world.  Some 
people  may  laugh  at  the  new  Scrooge,  Bob  Cratchit;  but  let 
them  laugh,  they  might  as  well  wrinkle  up  their  eyes  in  grins 

30  as  in  other  "ways  that  are  not  so  pretty.  So,  a  Merry 
Christmas  and  God  bless  us,  Every  One. 


366  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

NOTES 

340:  II  Administrator.  One  who  settles  the  estate  of  a  person 
dying  without  leaving  a  will. 

344: 1    Homage.    Respect;   reverence. 

344:  II  Bedlam.  A  mad-house;  an  asylum  or  hospital  for  the 
insane. 

344: 18  Credentials.  Letters  showing  that  the  one  to  whom  they 
belonged  has  a  right  to  credit  and  confidence;  letters  of  recommen- 
dation. 

344: 28    Work-houses.     Poor-houses. 

345:  I  Treadmill  and  Poor  Law.  The  treadmill  was  a  method  of 
punishment  used  in  prisons,  consisting  of  an  appliance  for  producing 
rotary  motion  by  a  man  stepping  on  movable  steps  connected  with  a  re- 
volving cylinder  or  wheel.  The  Poor  Law  provided  for  the  support  of 
paupers  at  public  expense. 

345:  14    Anonymous.    Of  unknown  name;  name  not  given. 

346: 22    Caustic.    Sarcastic. 

349:    6    Incessant.     Unceasing. 

354:    6    Engrosses.    Occupies  wholly. 


JOAN  OF  ARC 

MARY  A.  LASELLE 

(From  "Dramatizations  of  School  Classics") 

Joan  of  Arc  was  a  French  peasant  girl,  only  seventeen  years  of  age, 
who  in  1429  suddenly  appeared  to  lead  the  French  armies  to  victory 
and  drive  out  the  English  from  the  kingdom.  She  claimed  that  she  was 
impelled  to  her  task  by  angel  voices  that  since  childhood  had  spoken  to 
her  under  the  "talking  oak "  of  her  native  village  of  Domremy.  Though 
she  was  victorious  she  finally  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  English,  and  was 
burned  at  the  stake  as  a  witch  and  heretic.  Schiller  has  written  a 
drama  about  her  called  "The  Maid  of  Orleans." 

Scene  I 

{A  group  of  children  dancing  around  the  Fairy  Tree,  singing 
the  Tree  Song.  Joan  should  he  dressed  in  white.  Children 
have  garlands  of  flowers  which  they  hang  upon  tree.) 

The  Tree  Song 

This  beauteous  tree  with  leaves  so  green, 

Wondrous  tree  of  Fairy-land. 
The  children  come  to  you  each  day, 
You  shield  them  in  their  happy  play, 
And  guard  them  on  their  homeward  way, 
Their  love,  and  joy  and  pride. 

We  love  you  for  your  dancing  leaves, 

Wondrous  tree  of  Fairy-land, 
And  'neath  your  boughs,  we  know,  perchance, 
We'll  see  the  merry  fairies  dance 
In  gladsome,  jovial,  elfish  pranks. 

When  moonbeams  light  the  green. 

367 


368  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

Point  ever  toward  blue  skies  above, 

Wondrous  tree  of  Fairy-land. 
May  joy  and  peace  and  naught  of  strife, 
Come  to  us  as  we  go  through  life, 
And  may  we,  freed  from  war-cries  rife, 
Thy  children  ever  be. 

{Children  run  merrily  jrom  stage  at  conclusion  of  song.) 


Scene  II 

Joan  and  Philippe,  a  boy  oj  the  nobility 

{Stage  setting  as  before.) 

Philippe    I  have  been  pondering  upon  this  thing  for  many 
days.     Poor  France  has  been  in  a  desperate  case  ever  since 
the  battle  of  Agincourt. 
lo     Joan    France  in  desperate  case?    What  is  your  reason 
for  thinking  that? 

Philippe    What  is  our  King?    A  mere  figure-head!     A 
puppet!    A  man  without  a  spine!    The  tool  of  favorites! 
He  a  King!     Poh!    He  would  show  the  white  feather  at  the 
15  least  provocation.     Is  that  not  so? 
Joan    Yes,  it  is  so. 

Philippe    Then,  can  you  not  see  where  we  stand  ?    France 
can  never  rise  above  her  King's  foolish  deeds. 
Joan    France  will  rise!     She  must  rise! 
20     Philippe    It  is  impossible.     France  is  even  now  nothing 
but  a  province  of  England.     Is  it  not  so? 
Joan    Yes,  it  is  too  true. 

Philippe    French   armies   have  won   no   victories.     Our 
courage  has  been  paralyzed  since  Agincourt.     Two  English 
25  soldiers  can  put  twenty  French  soldiers  to  flight. 


JOAN  OF  ARC  369 

Joan    Alas!     These  things  are  too  true.      But  France  wi// 
rise  again.     She  will  yet  trample  England  under  her  feet. 

Philippe     Joan,  how  can  this  be  done,  when  we  have  no 
soldiers,  no  king? 
5      Joan    The  king  will  yet  be  a  king.     He  will  be  crowned. 

Philippe    This  is  past  behef. 

Joan  The  king  will  be  crowned  before  two  years  shall 
have  rolled  by. 

Philippe    There  are  no  Frenchmen  who  could  bring  this 
10  about. 

Joan    There  is  God. 

{Points  to  sky.  Philippe  walks  away,  as  ij  to  leave  the  stage. 
He  looks  back  at  Joan  and  conceals  himself  behind  a  tree, 
Joan  seats  herself  under  the  Fairy  Tree  and  looks  off  into 
space;  then  she  rises,  lifts  her  clasped  hands  high  above  her 
and  speaks  pleadingly.) 

Joan    Oh,  can  I,  who  am  so  young,  leave  my  mother  and 

go  out  to  lead  these  wild  soldiers  to  victory?     I  do  not  even 

know  how  to  ride  a  horse — and  the  life  in  the  camp,  the  rude- 

15  ness,  the  danger.     Oh,  I  cannot — yet  if  God  commands  it, 

I  must  go. 

{Philippe  approaches  in  great  amazement) 

Philippe    Why  Joan,  I  could  not  help  but  overhear  you. 
Of  what  are  you  talking?    To  whom  are  you  speaking? 
You  acted  as  if  you  heard  voices.     Yet  I  saw  no  one  here. 
20  {Looks  all  about.) 

Joan     Sit  down,  Philippe,  and  I  will  tell  you  to  whom  I 
spoke.     The  saints  come  and  speak  to  me.     I  hear  their 
voices,  although  no  one  else  does,  and  I  call  them  my  voices. .; 
Philippe     But  of  what  do  they  talk  to  you  ? 
25      J 0071    They  talk  of  France  and  her  troubles  and  of  how 


370  STANDARD  CLASSIC  READER 

she  IS  to  be  freed  from  them.  They  have  told  me  of  all  the 
disasters  that  were  to  come  to  these  French  armies  before 
they  came.  Now,  they  tell  me  how  France  is  to  be  freed  and 
made  a  great  nation  again.     Phihppe,  they  tell  me  that  /  am 

5  to  be  the  leader  of  the  French  armies.     /  am  to  win  back 
glory  to  France. 

Philippe  Incredible!  Joan,  you  are  dreaming,  or  your 
poor  brain  is  turned.  You  lead  armies!  You  win  victories 
for  France!     My  poor,  poor  girl! 

lo  Joan  Yes,  God  has  chosen  me,  the  humblest  of  his 
creatures,  to  do  this  great  work.  I  have  fought  against  the 
command,  but  I  must  yield.  I  must  go  to  Jean  de  Baudri- 
court,  and  he  will  give  me  soldiers  who  will  escort  me  to  the 
king.     I  know  not  when  or  how  the  victory  is  to  be  won,  but 

15  my  voices  have  said  that  in  one  year  from  now  the  King  will 
be  crowned.     God's  will  be  done! 


Scene  III 

The  Coronation 

{The  King  enters  with  Joan  by  his  side.  They  advance 
to  the  dais.  The  King  is  anointed  with  oil  and  presented 
with  a  crown  upon  a  cushion.  He  places  the  crown  upon  his 
head  and  seats  himself  upon  the  dais.  Courtiers  stand  about, 
Joan  sinks  upon  her  knees  at  his  jeet.) 

Joan  Now,  O  king,  the  crown  of  France  is  on  the  head  of 
her  rightful  ruler.  My  work  is  done.  Let  me  go  home  to 
my  mother.     She  is  poor  and  aged,  and  needs  her  Joan. 

King  Speak,  Joan,  what  is  it  that  you  wish  ?  Any  request 
of  yours  shall  be  granted  to  the  half  of  my  kingdom. 

Joan  If  it  please  you,  my  king,  I  would  wish  that  the 
taxes  of  my  poor  Domr<^my  be  remitted. 


JOAN   OF  ARC  371 


King    They  shall  be  so,  noble  maid  of  Orleans!     And 
what  else  wouldst  thou  have? 
Joan    Nothing  more  my  King. 

King    Surely,  noble  maid,  who  hast  led  our  armies  to 
5  victory  and  restored  France  to  her  rightful  place,  there  is 
something  more  that  thou  desirest.      Speak,  fair  girl,  and  fear 
not. 

Joan    There  is  nothing  else,  my  king. 

King    Joan,  you  have  conquered  great  armies  and  placed 

10  the  crown  on  my  brow,  and  now  you  demand  naught  but 

this  one  little  boon.     Be  it  so.     From  this  day  Domremy  is 

freed  from  all  taxation  as  long  as  France  is  a  nation.     Noble 

girl!     Forever  shall  these  humble  peasants  of  Domremy  bless 

15  the  name  of  the  Maid  of  Orleans! 

(The  bugle  sounds ^  and  all  leave  the  stage,) 

NOTES 

367:  10    Jovial.     Joyous;  merry. 

368:  5    Rife.     Great  in  number  and  quantity. 

368: 9  Agincourt.  A  village  in  France.  In  141 5,  it  was  the 
scene  of  a  famous  battle,  where  the  English  gained  a  victory  over  the 
French. 

370: 12  Jean  de  Bavdricourt.  A  French  Marshal,  who  served 
successively  under  three  kings  of  France  —  Charles  VII,  Louis  XI, 
and  Charles  VIII. 

371:  I  Orleans.  The  city  in  France  where  Joan  of  Arc  compelled 
the  Duke  of  Bedford  to  raise  the  siege  held  there  by  the  English. 


THE  COURTSHIP  OF  MILES  STANDISH 

"The  Courtship  of  Miles  Standish,"  a  famous  poem  by  Longfellow, 
is  divided  into  nine  cantos  or  chapters,  each  with  its  appropriate  heading, 
and  each  marking  a  special  phase  in  the  development  of  the  plot,  which 
is,  of  course,  the  courtship  of  the  valiant  Captain  of  Plymouth. 

Canto  I  introduces  Miles  Standish  and  John  Alden :  the  one  a  sturdy, 
middle-aged  soldier,  bred  in  arms;  the  other  a  fair-haired  youth,  just 
grown  into  manhood.  This  canto  also  gives  the  reader  a  bit  of  Stand- 
ish's  biography,  and  brings  in  very  deftly  the  name  of  Priscilla  and  the 
state  of  John  Alden's  feelings  toward  the  owner  of  the  name. 

Canto  II  discloses  the  plan  to  which  the  Captain  had  been  awkwardly 
trying  to  lead  up  for  so  long.  The  struggle  between  love  and  the  duty 
owed  to  the  name  of  friendship  could  not  last  long  in  the  mind  of  a 
Puritan,  and  John  Alden  sets  out  on  his  strange  errand  with  an  aching 
heart. 

Canto  III  introduces  Priscilla,  who  is  alone  in  the  world,  her  father, 
mother  and  brother  having  died  of  the  sickness.  She  receives  her 
proposal-by-proxy  with  justifiable  indignation,  and  shows  very  plainly 
to  the  reader  (though  John  is  a  trifle  slow  to  see  it)  that  her  affections 
are  set  on  quite  a  different  personage  from  the  redoubtable  Captain. 

Canto  IV  is  divided  into  two  parts,  the  first  of  which  is  occupied  with 
the  mental  struggle  of  John  Alden,  whose  Puritan  conscience  chides 
him  for  betraying  his  friend  and  patron;  his  resolve  to  sail  in  the  May- 
flower on  the  morrow;  and  the  bitter  anger  of  Miles  Standish  when  he 
learns  the  result  of  his  ambassador's  errand.  In  the  latter  part  a  mes- 
senger appears,  summoning  Standish  to  a  Council  met  to  discuss  an 
Indian  challenge. 

Canto  V,  whose  central  thought  is  Alden's  decision  to  stay  at  Ply- 
mouth for  the  sake  of  being  near  and  protecting  the  orphaned  Priscilla, 
is  by  far  the  most  beautiful  portion  of  the  poem.  First  the  Httle  com- 
pany of  eight  men,  led  by  Standish  and  the  Indian  guide,  marches 
slowly  out  of  the  village  just  in  the  gray  of  dawn,  as  the  mists  uprose 
from  the  meadows;  then  all  the  Pilgrims  gather  on  the  shore  to  bid 
farewell  to  the  Mayflower;  we  hear  shouts  and  the  songs  of  the  happy 
sailors  who  are  going  home  at  last,  and  finally  we  see  the  Mayflower 
sailing  slowly  from  tihe  harbor. 

Canto  VI  treats  merely  of  the  compact  of  friendship  between  John 
Alden  and  Priscilla. 

Canto  VII  is  the  chapter  that  will  appeal  most  strongly  to  the  boys 

of  the  class;  the  three  days'  march  tlirongh  the  dense  forest,  the  Indian 

encampment,  the  parley,  the  l)oast3  and  insults  of  the  Indian  chiefs, 

the  stealthy  gathering  of  the  ambush,  tlie  death  of  Pecksuot,  the  war- 

372 


COURTSHIP  OF   MILES  STANDISH  373 

whoop  and  the  attack,  and  finally  the  victory  of  the  little  army  and  the 
rejoicing  in  Plymouth  over  the  result  of  the  first  battle  with  the  savages. 

Canto  VIII.  Between  this  and  the  preceding  Canto  several  months 
have  elapsed,  and  the  Fortune,  a  small  merchant  vessel,  has  arrived  at 
Plymouth  (November  9),  bringing  about  thirty  new  emigrants,  and 
catde  and  com  for  the  Pilgrims.  While  everything  in  the  Utde  colony  is 
peaceful,  as  it  has  not  been  before  since  the  landing,  news  comes  that 
Standish,  who  all  this  time  has  been  away  fighting  the  Indians,  has  been 
beguiled  into  an  ambush  and  slain  with  a  poisoned  arrow.  This  throws 
the  whole  community  into  the  direst  terror,  but  accomplishes  one  good 
result,  inasmuch  as  it  brings  to  an  end  the  long  wooing  of  John  Alden. 
His  friend  slain,  Alden's  conscience  troubles  him  no  longer;  and  he  and 
Priscilla  are  betrothed  at  last. 

Canto  IX  gives  the  happy  ending  of  the  story.  Priscilla  and  Alden 
are  married;  and,  just  as  the  last  words  of  the  service  are  spoken.  Miles 
Standish  appears,  alive  and  full  of  repentance  for  his  anger  against 
the  now  happy  bridegroom.  The  narrative  closes  very  quaintly  and 
beautifully  with  an  exquisite  description  of  the  bridal  procession  passing 
through  the  Plymouth  woods. 

ACT  I 

Scene  I 

A  room  in  the  home  oj  Miles  Standish 

( The  room  contains  a  book-case,  table,  gun  and  a  sword.) 

Standish  Look  at  these  warlike  weapons.  This  is  the 
sword  of  Damascus  that  I  fought  with  in  Flanders.  This 
breast-plate  once  saved  my  life  in  a  skirmish.  You  can  see 
here  the  very  dent  of  the  bullet  that  was  fired  point  blank  at 
5  my  heart  by  a  Spaniard.  See  how  brightly  these  weapons 
shine!  That  is  because  I  have  burnished  them  myself.  I 
have  not  left  it  to  others.  ''Serve  yourself,  if  you  would  be 
well  served,"  is  an  excellent  adage.  I  care  for  them  and  for 
my  soldiers,  my  great  invincible  army  of  twelve  men!  See, 
10  here  they  come,  for  their  monthly  pay,  their  eighteen  pence 
and  their  bag  of  com. 

(Twelve  soldiers,  dressed  in  tatters,  with  guns  in  hand,  -file 
into  the  room,  and  each  is  addressed  by  name,  as  Standish 


374  STANDARD   CLASSIC  READER 

hands  him  his  money  and  bag  of  corn,  while  John  Alden  keeps 
the  record  in  a  note-hook.) 

Standish  Look,  you  can  see  from  this  window  my  brazen 
howitzer,  high  on  the  roof  of  the  church.  Let  the  Indians 
come,  if  they  like,  and  the  sooner  they  try  it  the  better.  Alas ! 
poor  Rose  lies  buried  beneath  yonder  fields  of  wheat;  for  we 
5  must  hide  from  the  Indian  scouts  the  graves  of  our  people  lest 
they  should  count  them  and  see  how  many  already  have 
perished. 

{Standish  takes  hook  from  hook-case  and  sits  reading. ) 

Standish    Truly,  this  Caesar  was  a  wonderful  man!     You 
can  write,  and  I  can  fight,  but  here  was  a  man  who  was 
lo  equally  skillful  in  writing  and  fighting. 

Alden    Yes,  I  have  read  that  he  could  dictate  seven  letters 
at  once,  and  write  his  memoirs  at  the  same  time. 

Standish  Indeed,  Caesar  was  a  most  wonderful  man. 
He  said  he  would  rather  be  first  in  a  little  village  than  be 
15  second  in  Rome;  and  I  think  he  was  right.  He  conquered 
a  thousand  cities  and  fought  in  five  hundred  battles.  He 
believed  if  you  wish  a  thing  well  done,  you  must  do  it  your- 
self;  you  must  not  leave  it  to  others. 

(Standish  arises  and  paces  uneasily  about  the  room.) 

Standish    When  you  have  finished  your  work,  John,  I 
20  have  something  important  to  tell  you ;   but  do  not  hurry,  I 
can  wait. 

Alden  (folding  the  last  of  his  letters).    Speak,  now,  my 
Captain,  I  am  ready  to  hear  you. 

(Standish  continues  walking  about  and  finally  takes  a  drink 
of  water  and  clears  his  throat.) 

Standish     John,  since  Rose  Standish  died,  my  life  has  been 
25  weary  and  dreary,  and,  as  I  have  seen  the  maiden  Priscilla 


COURTSHIP   OF   MILES   STANDISH  375 

(John  starts  up  from  his  chair),  as  she  has  worked  for  the  sick, 
so  patiently  and  courageously  through  all  these  hard  months, 
I  have  resolved  to  ask  her  to  be  my  wife.  Now,  although 
I  am  brave  enough  in  warfare,  I  am  a  coward  in  this  matter, 
5  and  therefore,  I  am  going  to  ask  you  to  go  to  Priscilla  for  me 
and  woo  her  in  elegant  language. 

(Alden  moves  about,  greatly  disturbed.) 

Alden  But  surely,  you  have  just  said  Caesar  was  right  in 
declaring  that  if  you  would  have  a  thing  well  done  you  must 
do  it  yourself.     I  should  only  mangle  and  mar  such  a  message 

10  as  that. 

Standish  {taking  Alden^s  hand)  John,  dear  friend,  I  am 
not  afraid  of  bullets,  but  I  could  not  endure  a  "No"  point- 
blank  from  the  mouth  of  a  woman.  Surely,  you  cannot  refuse 
what  I  ask  in  the  name  of  our  friendship? 

15  Alden  The  name  of  friendship  is  sacred.  What  you  de- 
mand in  that  name  I  have  not  the  power  to  deny  you. 

(Alden  goes  out  followed  by  Standish.) 

Scene  II 

The  Home  of  Priscilla 

(Priscilla  sings  the  hundredth  psalm  as  she  sits  spinning, 
Alden  enters  with  flowers  in  his  hands.) 

Priscilla  I  knew  it  was  you,  John,  when  I  heard  your  step 
in  the  passage.  I  was  thinking  of  you  as  I  sat  here,  singing 
and  spinning. 

{Alden  hands  her  the  flowers.) 

20  Priscilla  Thank  you,  John,  I  have  been  thinking  all  day 
of  the  hedge-rows  of  England.  They  must  be  in  blossom 
now,  and  the  country  must  be  like  a  garden.     I  almost  wish 

.  myself  back  in  Old  England,  I  feel  so  lonely  and  wretched. 


376  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Alden    I    cannot    blame   you,    Priscilla.     Stouter    hearts 

than  a  woman's  have  quailed  in  this  terrible  winter.     You 

need  a  stronger  heart  to  lean  upon.     I  have  come  to  you  with 

an  offer  of  marriage  from  a  good,  true  man  —  Miles  Stand ish, 

5  the  Captain  of  Plymouth. 

Priscilla  (after  a  long  silence)     If  Miles  Stand  ish  is  anxious 
to  marry  me,  why  does  he  not  come  himself  to  woo  me  ? 

Alden    He  has  no  time  for  such  things.     He  is  too  busy. 

Priscilla     This  is  not  right  nor  just.     Surely  a  woman's 
lo  affection  does  not  respond  at  once  to  a  love  that  she  never 
suspected.     Had  he  but  waited  awhile,  had  he  only  showed 
that  he  loved  me,  even  this  Captain  of  yours  —  who  knows  ? 
—  at  last  might  have  won  me,  old  and  rough  as  he  is,  but 
now  it  can  never  happen. 
15      Alden    But,    Priscilla,   our   Captain   is   brave,   generous, 
honorable  and  noble.    He  is  a  gentleman  born,  and  can  trace 
his  pedigree  back  to  Hugh  Standish  of  Duxbury  Hall.     Any 
woman  in  Plymouth,  nay,  any  woman  in  England,  might 
be  happy  and  proud  to  be  called  the  wife  of  Miles  Standish. 
20      Priscilla  (rising  and  saying  laughingly  as  she  moves  towards 
the  door)     ''Why  don't  you  speak  for  yourself,  John?" 

(Exit  Priscilla,  followed  by  John.) 


Scene  III 

The  Home  of  Miles  Standish 

(The  Captain  seated,   receding.    John  Alden  enters j  and 
Miles  Standish  greets  him  heartily.) 

Miles  Standish       You  have  been  long  on  your  errand. 

The  house  is  near,  though  the  woods  are  between  us.     Sit 

down,  and  tell  me  all  that  has  happened.     (They  sit  down.) 

25     John  Alden    You  shall  hear  the  story.     I  found  Priscilla 

at  her  spinning.     We  spoke  of  the  ship  that  sails  to-morrow. 


COURTSHIP  OF   MILES  STANDISH  377 

and  Priscilla  said  she  would  fain  return  to  England,  she  was 
so  lonely  and  sad.  Then  I  told  her  she  needed  a  man's 
strength  to  lean  upon,  and  straightway  gave  the  offer  of  your 
heart  and  hand.  But  the  maiden  would  rather  the  Captain 
5  had  come  himself  to  woo  than  send  his  friend.  Then  I  bade 
her  remember  how  you  defended  us  all.  I  told  her  of  your 
long  descent.  I  spoke  of  your  valor,  your  gentleness,  and 
how  any  woman  in  England  might  be  proud  to  be  called  the 
wife  of  Miles  Stand  ish. 

10  Miles  Standish  {cheerily)  And  what  answered  the  maiden 
then? 

John  Alden  {with  downcast  eyes)  She  reproached  me  for 
not  pleading  my  own  cause.  These  were  her  words:  ''Why 
don't  you  speak  for  yourself,  John?" 

15  Mi  es  Standish  {starting  up,  stamping  his  joot  furiously) 
John  Alden,  you  have  betrayed  me  —  supplanted  and  be- 
trayed me.  You  who  lived  under  my  roof,  fed  at  my  board 
and  drank  of  my  cup,  whom  I  loved  and  cherished  as  a  brother, 
to  whose  keeping  I  gave  my  honor  and  my  dearest  thoughts  — 

20  you  too,  Brutus!     Brutus  was  Caesar's  friend,  and  you  were 

mine,  but  hereafter,  let  there  be  only  hatred  and  war  between 

us!     {Standish  walks  about  the  room  in  his  rage.    A  messenger 

enters  hastily.) 

Messenger    Will  it  please  you  come  to  the  council?    An 

25  Indian  brings  a  snake-skin  filled  with  arrows  for  a  challenge. 
The  Elder  is  for  peace,  but  most  are  for  war. 

Miles  Standish  {juriously)  Are  we  making  war  with  milk 
and  water  of  roses?  Have  we  planted  our  howitzer  on  the 
roof  of  the  church  to  shoot  squirrels  ?     Take  out  the  arrows, 

30  and  fill  the  skin  with  powder  and  bullets.  That  is  my  an- 
swer.    {He  goes  out  with  the  messenger.) 

John  Alden  Am  I  a  traitor  to  friendship  ?  Is  it  my  fault 
that  she  has  chosen  between  us,  and  that  I  am  the  fortunate 
one?     I  pleaded  his  cause  faithfully.     I  am  no.  traitor  be- 

35  cause  he  failed.     {He  pauses  a  moment.)    I  will  leave  this 


378  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

dreary  land,  the  maiden  I  may  not  love,  the  friend  I  have 
offended.  Better  to  be  in  my  grave  in  the  green  old  church- 
yard, dead  and  forgotten,  than  living  here  in  shame  and  dis- 
honor.   I  will  go  back  to  England.     {He  goes  out,) 


Scene  IV 

(John  Alden  on  his  way  to  the  Mayflower,  he  meets  Pris- 
cilla,  and  he  offers  her  his  hand.     She  takes  it,  then  passes  out.) 

5  John  Alden  Here  I  remain!  That  white  cloud  floating 
above  us  seems  like  a  hand  beckoning  over  the  ocean.  Here 
is  another  hand  holding  me  back,  and  clasping  mine  for  pro- 
tection. I  will  not  heed  the  beckoning  cloud.  There  is  no 
land  so  sacred  as  that  pressed  by  her  footsteps,  no  air  so  pure 

lo  and  sweet  as  the  air  she  breathes.  Here  I  will  stay  for  her 
sake,  ever  about  her  like  an  invisible  presence,  protecting  her 
weakness.  Yesl  My  foot  was  the  first  that  stepped  on  this 
rock  at  the  landing,  and  by  God's  blessing  it  shall  be  the  last 
at  the  leaving! 

15  Priscilla  {returning,  stands  near  him  jor  a  moment.  As 
he  turns  to  go,  he  sees  her.)  Are  you  so  much  offended  that 
you  will  not  speak  to  me?  Am  I  so  much  to  blame  because 
yesterday  when  you  were  pleading  another's  cause,  my  heart 
impulsively  pleaded  your  own,  forgetting,  perhaps,  decorum  ? 

20  I  am  sure  you  can  forgive  me  for  speaking  so  frankly,  for 
saying  what  I  should  not  have  said.  {Pause.)  Yet  it  can- 
not be  unsaid.  There  are  moments  in  life  when  the  heart 
is  so  full  of  emotion  that  it  overflows  at  a  word,  and  its  secret, 
spilled   like  water  on  the  ground,  can  never  be  gathered 

25  again.  Yesterday  I  could  not  bear  it  when  I  heard  you  speak 
of  Miles  Standish,  praising  him  so  warmly,  making  virtues 
of  his  very  defects,  praising  his  courage,  his  strength,  his 
fighting,  as  if  fighting  alone  could  ever  win  a  woman's  heart. 
You  forgot  yourself  and  all  the  world  besides,  in  praising  your 


COURTSHIP  OF   MILES   STANDISH  379 

hero.  Then  I  spoke,  by  an  impulse  I  could  not  resist.  Will 
you  not  forgive  me  for  the  sake  of  the  friendship  between  us  ? 
It  is  too  true,  too  sacred,  to  be  so  easily  broken. 

John  Alden    I  was  not  angry  with  you,  but  only  with  my- 

5  self,  for  managing  so  badly  the  matter  given  to  my  keeping. 

Priscilla    I  am  sure  you  were  angry  with  me  for  speaking 

too  frankly.     It  was  wrong,  I  know.     It  is  a  woman's  fate 

to  be  silent,  waiting  patiently,  till  some  questioning  voice 

breaks  the  spell.     Women's  lives  are  like  subterranean  rivers, 

10  sunless  and  deep,  running  through  their  narrow  channels 
with  profitless  murmurs. 

John  Alden  Heaven  forbid  it,  Priscilla!  To  me  they 
seem  like  the  beautiful  rivers  in  the  garden  of  Eden,  or  like 
the  Euphrates,  flowing  through  the  deserts  of  Havilah,  filling 

15  them  with  sweet  memories  of  the  garden. 

Priscilla  Ah,  these  words  show  how  little  you  prize  me, 
or  care  for  what  I  say.  When  I  speak  frankly  from  the 
depths  of  my  heart,  in  pain  and  misgiving,  asking  for  sym- 
pathy and  kindness,  you  turn  my  direct  words  to  another 

20  meaning,  and  answer  me  with  flattering  phrases.  This  is 
not  right  nor  just,  for  I  know  and  esteem  you,  and  feel  that 
your  nature  by  its  nobleness  lifts  mine  to  a  higher  level.  And 
so  I  value  your  friendship,  and  am  hurt  when  you  hold  me  as 
one  among  many,  when  you  speak  to  me  in  the  flattering 

25  words  men  use  to  women.  They  think  to  please  us,  but  we 
scorn  such  empty  phrases.  Then  let  us  be  what  we  are,  and 
speak  truly  and  like  friends.  It  is  no  secret  that  I  tell  you 
when  I  say  I  have  liked  to  be  with  you,  to  see  you,  to  speak 
with  you.     Therefore  I  was  hurt  when  you  urged  me  to  marry 

30  your  friend,  even  though  he  were  the  great  Captain  Miles 
Standish.  For  this  is  the  truth,  your  friendship  is  much 
more  to  me  than  all  the  love  he  could  give,  if  he  were  twice 
the  hero  you  think  him.  {She  extends  her  hand  to  Alden^ 
who  takes  it  eagerly.) 

35      John  Alden  (with  much  feeling)     Yes,  we  must  ever  be 


38o  STANDARD  CLASSIC  READER 

friends,  and  of  all  your  friends,  let  me  be  the  first  and  truest, 
the  nearest  and  dearest. 

{They  go  ou!.) 


ACT  II 

Scene  I 
Priscilla^s  Cottage 

{As  Priscilla  sits  spinning,  John  Alden  knocks  at  the  door, 
enters;  Priscilla  rises  to  greet  him,  gives  him  her  hand,  smiling.) 

John  Alden    You  are  busy,  as  always. 
Priscilla    Yes,  the  days  grow  shorter  now,  so  I  must  wo^ 
5  while  it  is  light.     You  are  busy,  too. 

John  Alden    Men  that  build  houses  must  finish  them  be- 
times before  the  winter  is  upon  us.     {Priscilla  sits  at  her 
wheel,  spinning,  and  Alden  sits  and  watches  her  a  moment  in 
silence,  then  speaks  again.)     Truly,  Priscilla,  when  I  see  you 
lo  spinning  so  busily,  never  idle  a  moment,  always  thrifty  and 
helpful,  suddenly  you  are  transformed ;  you  are  not  the  Pris- 
cilla I  know,  but  Bertha,  the  Beautiful  Spinner.     {The  wheel 
go  s  more  and  more  swiftly,  and  the  thread  snaps.     Alden 
continues.)     I  read  her  story  at  a  stall,  in  the  streets  of  South- 
15  ampton.     Ever  as  she  rode  on  her  palfrey,  over  meadow  and 
valley,  she  was  spinning  her  thread  from  a  distaff,  which  she 
carried  with  her,  fixed  to  the  saddle.     So  thrifty  and  good 
was  she  that  her  name  passed  into  a  proverb.     So  shall  it  be 
with  you ;  in  time  to  come,  mothers  shall  praise  the  good  old 
20  days,  the  days  of  Priscilla  the  spinner. 

Priscilla  {rising;  goes  to  tahh  and  takes  from  it  a  skein  oj 

white  yarn.)     Come,  you  must  be   busy  too.     If   I   am  a 

pattern  for  housewives,  show  yourself  worthy  of  being  a  model 

for  husbands.     Hold  this  skein  for  me,  while  I  wind  it,  ready 

25  for  the  knitting.    Then  hereafter,  when  fashions  and  manners 


COURTSHIP  OF   MILES   STANDISH  381 

and  all  things  have  changed,  perhaps  fathers  may  tell  their  sons 
of  the  good  old  days  of  John  Alden.  'She  puts  the  skein  of 
yarn  on  his  hands,  and  stands  in  jront  0}  him,  winding  the 
yarn,) 

(Messenger  enters.  Priscilla  takes  the  skein  from  Alden* s 
hands,  and  lays  it  with  the  hall  on  the  table.) 

5  M  ssenger  Miles  Standish  is  dead  —  killed  with  a  poisoned 
arrow!  All  were  killed.  The  Indians  are  coming  to  burn 
the  town.     The  people  will  all  be  murdered !     {Goes  out.) 

{Priscilla  stands  like  a  statue,  her  hands  lifted  in  horror. 
John  Alden  starts  up,  aud  goes  to  her,  taking  her  hands  in  his.) 

John  Alden  Those  whom  the  Lord  hath  united,  let  no 
man  put  them,  asunder! 

Scene  II 

/"  Priscilla^  s  Cottage 

{Priscilla  and  John  Alden  stand  together  in  the  center. 
Friends  gather,  and  the  Magistrate  and  Elder  take  their  places. 
The  service  proceeds,  and  its  end,  Miles  Standish  appears.) 

TO  Miles  Standish  Forgive  me!  I  have  been  cruel  and  hard. 
But  now  it  is  ended,  thank  God!  I  have  the  same  hot  blood 
that  leaped  in  the  veins  of  Hugh  Standish  —  sensitive,  swift 
in  resenting  an  injury,  but  as  swift  in  atoning  for  error. 
Never  before  so  much  as  now  was  Miles  Standish  the  friend 
15  of  John  Alden. 

John  Alden    Let  all  be  forgotten,  all,  save  the  dear  old 

friendship  between  us.     That  shall  grow  older  and  dearer. 

Miles  Standish  {turning  lo  Priscilla)    I  wish  you  joy  of 


382  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

your  wedding,  and  I  have  only  praise  for  your  husband.  I 
should  have  remembered  the  adage,  "If  you  would  be  well 
served,  you  must  serve  yourself." 

{Friends  here  gather  about  Miles  Standish,  questioning  him 
on  his  adventures.  They  all  go  out  together,  leaving  John 
Alden  and  Priscilla.) 

John  Alden    My  snow-white  steer  shall  be  covered  with  a 
5  crimson  cloth  and  a  cushion  placed  for  a  saddle.     You  shall 
not  walk  through  the  dust  and  heat  of  the  noonday.    Nay, 
you  shall  ride  like  a  queen. 

(They  go  out  smiling  and  talking.) 


NOTES 

373:  2  Damascus.  The  ancient  capital  of  Syria,  whose  swords 
were  fanvDus  the  world  over. 

373:  2  Flanders.  A  former  country  or  district  of  Europe,  now  in- 
cluded in  the  Netherlands,  Belgium,  and  France.  Miles  Standish 
fought  in  the  Netherlands  during  the  revolt  against  Spanish  rule. 

373:    8    Adage.     An  old  and  wise  saying. 

374:  8  CcBsar.  Julius  Caesar,  a  famous  Roman  general,  statesman 
and  orator. 

377:  20  Brutus.  A  Roman  general,  who  assassinated  Caesar.  The 
latter  is  said  to  have  exclaimed  when  he  saw  Brutus,  "Thou  too,  Brutus! " 

377:  28    Howitzer.    A  kind  of  cannon  for  firing  small  shells. 

378:  19    Decorum.     Propriety;    politeness. 

379:    9    Subterranean.     Underground. 

379:  14  Euphrates.  One  of  the  four  rivers  mentioned  in  the  Bible, 
which  flowed  out  of  the  Garden  of  Eden. 

379: 14  Havilah.  A  land  mentioned  in  the  Bible,  surrounded  by 
the  river  Pishon. 

380: 12  Bertha.  The  wife  of  Pepin  the  Little  and  mother  of  Charles 
the  Great  of  France.  She  died  in  783,  and  was  long  celebrated  in 
legend  and  story. 


PART  III    MEMORY  GEMS 

Truth  crushed  to  earth  shall  rise  again, 
The  eternal  years  of  God  are  hers ; 

But  Error  wounded  writhes  in  pain, 
And  dies  among  his  worshippers. 

—  Bryant 

So  nigh  is  grandeur  to  our  dust, 

So  near  is  God  to  man, 
When  duty  whispers  low,  "Thou  must," 

The  youth  rephes,  "I  can." 

—  Emerson 

I  count  this  thing  to  be  grandly  true. 
That  a  noble  deed  is  a  step  toward  God, 
Lifting  the  soul  from  the  common  sod 
To  purer  air  and  broader  view. 

—  Holland 

Teach  me  to  feel  another's  woe, 

To  hide  the  fault  I  see; 
The  mercy  I  to  others  show. 

That  mercy  show  to  me. 

—  Pope 

Beautiful  eyes  are  those  that  show 
Beautiful  thoughts  that  burn  below; 
Beautiful  lips  are  those  whose  words 
Leap  from  the  heart  like  song  of  birds; 
Beautiful  hands  are  those  that  do 
Work  that  is  earnest,  brave,  and  true. 
Moment  by  moment,  the  whole  day  through. 

—  Ellen  P.  Allerton 
3S3 


384  STANDARD   CLASSIC   READER 

Work  for  the  good  that  is  nighest ; 

Dream  not  of  riches  afar; 
That  glory  is  ever  the  highest 

Which  shines  upon  men  as  they  are. 

—  Punshon 

Think  truly,  and  thy  thoughts 

Shall  the  world's  famine  feed; 
Speak  truly,  and  each  word  of  thine 

Shall  be  a  faithful  seed; 
Live  truly,  and  thy  life  shall  be 

A  great  and  noble  creed. 

—  H.  Bonar 

Whene'er  a  noble  deed  is  wrought, 
Whene'er  is  spoken  a  noble  thought, 

Our  hearts  in  glad  surprise 

To  higher  levels  rise. 

—  Longfellow 

There  are  loyal  hearts,  there  are  spirits  brave, 
There  are  souls  that  are  pure  and  true; 

Then  give  to  the  world  the  best  you  have 
And  the  best  shall  come  back  to  you. 

Give  love,  and  love  to  your  heart  will  flow, 

A  strength  in  your  utmost  need ; 
Have  faith  and  a  score  of  hearts  will  show 

Their  faith  in  your  word  and  deed. 

For  life  is  the  mirror  of  king  and  slave, 

'Tis  just  what  you  are  and  do; 
Then  give  lo  the  world  the  best  you  have 

And  the  best  will  come  back  to  you. 

—  Madeline  S.  Bridges 


ru  36839 


575771 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


iiii 


